BOTTLE, CAN OR CUP IDENTIFIER DIMPLES
Improvements in a bottle or can identifying dimple. The dimples exist in a variety of locations on a bottle or can to increase the number of people that can consume a similar beverage. The dimples can exist in concentric lines, vertical lines or and/or in a spiral pattern around the container whereby increasing the quantity of dimples to include a complete alphabet and or numbers. The shape of the dimples ranges from rounded domes to triangular tips and also multi-faceted shapes to provide greater structural integrity to the depressed dimple. The dimples can change color when they are depressed to ensure the identification is present if the dimple is pushed out under carbonation pressure. The dimples are usable as a measuring tool to determine the amount of fluid within the container and are useable to determine if the fluid level has changed from tampering.
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENTNot Applicable
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISCNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in identification and marking system for plastic bottles. More particularly, the present invention includes a plurality of raised dimples that are formed in the outer surface skin of a plastic bottle.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Several products and patents have been issued that cover identification systems for identifying the owner of a bottle. Typically when multiple people gather the same brand of refreshment is used for some or all of the people. Generally all of the bottles appear the same and if multiple people place the bottle down the ownership of the bottle is difficult. Another similar problem exists when the amount of fluid that is in a bottle is consumed or measured. In order to identify the level of fluid within the bottle that is consumed or measure there needs to be some marking system that is difficult to tamper. Exemplary examples of patents covering these improvements are disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,119 issued Oct. 31, 1989 to Jeannette T. Hosking and U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,581 issued Nov. 24, 1998 to Douglas Vagedes both disclose drinking containers where the lid can be rotated or placed a different orientations to identify particular indicia that is marked on the side for a cup. While these patents disclose an identification system for drinking containers these patents only work with the cap on a cup and further require two components, i.e. the cup and the lid. These patents also do not prevent or identify tampering or the amount of fluid that is consumed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,269 issued May 29, 2001 to Stephen M. Key discloses a roll-fed method for constructing a rotatable label system. The label is fabricated to wrap around a plastic bottle. The label includes a plurality of indicia that is rotated to indicate a unique letter for each person drinking a specific bottle. While this patent allows for placing an identifier to each bottle the identifier can be altered. The marking system also is not usable to identify the amount of fluid within the container and further does not provide information about the tampering or altering of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,456 issued Jun. 12, 2001 to Dennis J. Hanlon discloses an identifiable beverage container. The identifiable beverage container has dimples that exist around the container or in a vertical arrangement on the can. Because the can is not transparent the amount of fluid within the container can't be determined. The markings do not change color to reduce the potential for tampering. In '446 the markings only exist in a vertical or horizontal orientation whereas in the pending application the markings can exist in a spiral orientation to provide a higher resolution of marking and a higher number of markings to accommodate a greater number of guests at a party.
What is needed is a user marking system for a bottle that can accommodate a high number of consumers, provides for consumption/use marking system and color tainting system to reduce tampering of the marks. This application provides those functions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the bottle or can identifier dimples for the dimples to exist in a variety of locations on a bottle or can. One or multiple rows of dimples can be placed on a bottle to increase the number of people that can consume a similar beverage. The markings can exist in concentric lines on the container or vertically along a side of the beverage container. The dimples can also exist in a spiral pattern around the container whereby increasing the quantity of dimples to include a complete alphabet and or numbers. The dimples can also be used by a blind or sight impaired person or in a dark club or room where a person can feel the dimples like brail symbols to determine the identity of their bottle.
It is another object of the bottle or can identifier dimples for the dimples to be formed in a variety of shapes from rounded domes to triangular tips and also multi-faceted shapes. Some of the contemplated shapes provide greater structural integrity to the depressed dimple. The greater structural integrity increases retention of the shape if a cap is placed onto a bottle and the bottle is pressurized. A simple dome shape could easily be pushed out under carbonation pressure whereby eliminating the identification.
It is another object of the bottle or can identifier dimples for the dimples to change color when they are depressed. The color change can be produced from stressing the material when the dimple(s) are depressed or from material that is placed onto the dimple areas after the forming process of the bottle. The color change is particularly important with a plastic bottle that can be re-pressurized from carbonation whereby pushing out any depressed dimples. The color change can be the same for all of the dimples or can be different depending upon the location of the dimples on the container.
It is still another object of the bottle or can identifier dimples for the dimples to be useful to determine the amount of fluid within the container. A spiral confirmation of dimples around a bottle can be used for a number of other purposes to identify the amount of fluid that is within, or has been used from a container. This is useful as a measuring tool for dispensing fluid from the container and can also be used to determine if the fluid level has been changed from tampering. As a measuring device the dimpled markings can be in ounces Milliliters or shots.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.
In
In
In
At a party or other gathering a number of people may mistakenly select the same number. Most notably number one. To minimize confusion, multiple rows of repeating numbers are used. These repeating rows of dimples allow a person to enter a number, date or combination into the dimples. In
When the dimples are depressed a person can tell by visualizing the indented code and can also feel the depressed dimples. It is further contemplated that a user can depress the dimples 30 in sequence to identify or approximate the amount of fluid they have consumed. This is particularly important at a party where there exists a possibility that additional or undesirable fluid is added to an unattended can.
In the dimples shown in
Thus, specific embodiments of a bottle or can identifier dimple(s) have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A bottle with identifying dimples comprising:
- a plastic beverage container;
- said plastic beverage container further having a plurality of dimples that protrude outward from an outer circumferential wall of said plastic beverage container;
- said dimples being operable by a user to identify ownership of said plastic bottle, and
- said plurality of dimples exists in a vertical and or tangential arrangement on said plastic beverage container.
2. The bottle with identifying dimples according to claim 1 wherein said dimples correspond to a complete set of alphabetical characters.
3. The bottle with identifying dimples according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of dimples correspond to at least two complete sets of numbers from zero to 9.
4. The bottle with identifying dimples according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of dimples correspond to at least four complete sets of number from zero to 9 to allow said ownership in a four digit numerical value or date.
5. The bottle with identifying dimples according to claim 1 wherein said dimples are dome shaped, diamond shaped, hexagonal shaped or octagonal shaped.
6. The bottle with identifying dimples according to claim 1 wherein said dimples change color from being stressed when said dimples are depressed.
7. The bottle with identifying dimples according to claim 1 wherein said dimples correspond to the volume remaining or used from within said bottle.
8. A can with identifying dimple comprising:
- a can beverage container;
- said can beverage container further having a plurality of dimples that protrude outward from an outer circumferential wall of said can beverage container;
- said dimples configures with multiple repeating patters of dimples further having indicia to indentify said indicia with a corresponding dimple;
- said dimples being operable by a user to identify ownership of said can beverage container, and
- said plurality of dimples exists in a vertical and or tangential arrangement on said can beverage container.
9. The can with identifying dimples according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of dimples corresponds to two complete set of alphabetical characters.
10. The can with identifying dimples according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of dimples correspond to at least two complete sets of numbers from zero to 9.
11. The can with identifying dimples according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of dimples correspond to at least four complete sets of number from zero to 9 to allow said ownership in a four digit numerical value or date.
12. The can with identifying dimples according to claim 8 wherein said dimples are dome shaped, diamond shaped, hexagonal shaped or octagonal shaped.
13. The can with identifying dimples according to claim 8 wherein said dimples change color from being stressed when said dimples are depressed.
14. The can with identifying dimples according to claim 8 wherein said dimples correspond to the volume remaining or used from within said bottle.
15. A drinking cup with identifying dimples comprising:
- a plastic or paper cup;
- said plastic or paper cup further having a plurality of dimples that protrude outward from an outer circumferential wall of said plastic or paper cup container;
- said dimples being operable by a user to identify ownership of said plastic or paper cup, and
- said plurality of dimples exists in a vertical and or tangential arrangement on said plastic or paper cup.
16. The drinking cup with identifying dimples according to claim 15 wherein said dimples correspond to a complete set of alphabetical characters.
17. The drinking cup with identifying dimples according to claim 15 wherein said plurality of dimples corresponds to at least two complete sets of numbers from zero to 9.
18. The drinking cup with identifying dimples according to claim 15 wherein said dimples are dome shaped, diamond shaped, hexagonal shaped or octagonal shaped.
19. The drinking cup with identifying dimples according to claim 15 wherein said dimples change color from being stressed when said dimples are depressed.
20. The drinking cup with identifying dimples according to claim 15 wherein said dimples correspond to the volume remaining or used from within said bottle.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 15, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 15, 2011
Inventor: MOHAMMAD ASHRAF RAJPOOT (CORONA, CA)
Application Number: 12/815,601
International Classification: B65D 23/00 (20060101); B65D 85/00 (20060101);