Bottle Cap for Individualized Identification

Abstract

Personally identifiable closures for a beverage container and methods for the use of such closures with a variety of beverage containers (particularly those with a threaded neck region) are provided, in order to allow users to alleviate potential individual confusion over beverage container identity. The personally identifiable closure includes a substantially circular cover; a skirt region depending from the periphery of the cover and extending to a circumferential flange spaced opposite the cover; and, a region on the cover, skirt, or both the cover and the skirt that is customizable with individual user personal identification indicia. User-selectable indicia include letters, numbers, colors, images or graphics, and logos, which the user can use in order to associate the closure, or cap, with their individual beverage container.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/406,862, filed Oct. 26, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The inventions disclosed and taught herein relate generally to closures for containers having a neck structure, and more specifically are related to bottle caps having individualized indicia for use with beverage containers having a threaded neck structure, wherein the cap is a replacement lid for a beverage container and provides for individualized identity.

2. Description of the Related Art

Beverage containers, both in the form of bottles with removable and twist off caps, as well as cans, have existed for generations as both a means of long-term storage of liquid consumables, and as an identifiable form of consumer packaging [see, for example, Brody, A. L., and Marsh, K, S., “Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology”, John Wiley & Sons, 1997]. Beverage bottles, such as water bottles, soda bottles, and sport drink bottles, are typically fitted with bottle caps, or closures, which are used to seal the openings, or mouths, of the bottles. They can be small circular pieces of metal, usually steel, with plastic backings, and for plastic bottles a plastic cap is often used instead. A bottle cap is typically colorfully decorated with the logo of the brand of beverage. Caps can also be of shaped or formed plastic as a brand identifier, sometimes with a pour spout. Other types of caps for beverage containers include “flip-top” or resealable type caps or closures which allow the consumer to not have to drink all of the beverage at one time, and which facilitate storage over short periods of time.

While improvements continue to be made in the areas of bottle packaging, particularly with regard to the marketing of consumer products such as soda, sport drinks, and water which are typically sold in beverage containers of the type having a threaded neck and a screw-on cap, several problems have remained unsolved. For example, at team sporting events, particularly with children, there is a concern of how to identify and keep track of each individual's drink container, particularly when all of the team players are given the same brand of water or sport drink bottles. In such a situation, once a water bottle (or other beverage container) has been opened and then set down or returned to a cooler, when the individual turns their attention to something else, it is very likely that the individual will then experience some confusion at a later point in time over which beverage container is theirs, and which belongs to someone else.

Additional reasons for wanting to avoid mixing up beverage containers and unintentionally drinking from another person's drink container are related to public health issues. In particular, there is increased societal concern regarding the transmission of germs and diseases, such as influenza-like illnesses like the H1N1 flu, from unknowingly drinking from an infected persons previously opened beverage container. Avoidance of this by disposing of unmarked, previously opened containers which are only partially consumed leads to unnecessary waste of both money and resources. Further, the use of pens or permanent marking ink in trying to inscribe unique identifying indicia onto the surfaces of the caps are often unsuccessful due to the type of material that the caps are made from which prevent such markings from adhering, particularly when they become wet, such as occurs when the beverages are stored in a cooler.

A number of individualization attempts have been made to resolve this issue of confusion regarding keeping track of an individual's beverage container. For example, several companies manufacture decorated drink identifying rings, having patterns of beads or other indicia attached to a ring or similar clasp which can be attached to the beverage container or a drink receptacle, such as a wine glass. This solution, however, adds another layer of complexity to the drink identification problem, in that the individual's must remember both the type of beverage that they had, as well as the individual characteristics of the identifying ring associated with their beverage container.

Several attempts to address these concerns have also been presented in the patent literature, most of which seem to be directed to providing identification systems for beverage cans having a pull-tab or pop top. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,077 to Rose describes an indicating pop top beverage container, wherein mechanically-manipulated indicia are used uniquely identify that opened container so that it will not be inadvertently used by another. Additional efforts were described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,456 to Hanlon, wherein an identification system for a beverage container includes a beverage container; and a plurality of discrete areas associated with the container, each area being configurable from an original condition to a visibly different condition.

Further approaches attempting to resolve this problem, specifically directed to threaded bottle caps, have included the use of bottle caps with electronic sensors and monitors, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,592 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,117. Other approaches include the use of labels which a user can scratch an identifying indicia into, or container caps having rotating circles of numbers and/or letters such that the user can rotate the circles to create unique codes for individualized identification, as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0231445 A1 to Watson. However, these approaches can suffer from problems in their ease of use, or cost due to the technology involved in making and/or using them.

Despite these advances, there still remains a need for quick, easy to use bottle caps for beverage containers which allow for rapid user identification and/or individualization. The inventions disclosed and taught herein are directed to bottle caps for use with containers having a threaded neck region, such as beverage containers, wherein the bottle caps can be customizable for individual identification.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a closure, equivalently referred to herein as a cap or lid, which allows for individualized identify of the closure by the user.

In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a cap for use with a container having a threaded neck region is described, the cap comprising a substantially circular cover; a skirt region depending from the periphery of the cover and extending to a circumferential flange spaced opposite the cover, the skirt including an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface has an engagement means formed therein; and a region on the cover, skirt, or both the cover and the skirt that is customizable with individual user personal identification indicia. In accordance with embodiments of this aspect, the cap may be of a variety of colors so as to provide individual user identification, alone or in combination with identifying indicia.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, a personal identification device for attachment to a beverage container having a neck region with an opening at the upper end of the neck is described, wherein the device includes a cap comprising: a circular cover; a skirt region depending from the periphery of the cover and terminating at a circumferential flange spaced opposite the cover, the skirt including an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface has an engagement means formed therein; and a region that is customizable with identifying indicia. In accordance with this aspect of the disclosure, the cap may be dimensioned such that the engagement means on the interior surface of the cap can sealingly engage a second engagement means formed on an exterior surface of the neck region of the beverage container when the cap is screwed onto the container neck. In further accordance with this aspect of the present disclosure, the customizable, identifying indicia comprises words, images, logos, letters, numbers, colors, and combinations thereof.

In still further aspects of the present disclosure, methods for making a personally-identifiable cap for a beverage container are described, wherein the methods comprise the steps of providing a beverage container having a neck region with an opening at the upper end of the neck; providing a personally-identifiable cap for attaching to the neck region of the container, wherein the personally-identifiable cap identifies that the particular, individual container belongs to a specific user; and attaching the personally-identifiable cap to and over at least a portion of the neck region of the beverage container, whereby a user of the beverage container can personalize the personally-identifiable cap with colors, letters, words, graphics, or images such that the personally-identifiable cap identifies that particular beverage container belongs to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these figures in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a bottle cap made in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevational view of a cap and neck of a beverage container in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, with the cap being partially broken away to reveal exemplary internal constructions.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary bottle cap in accordance with further aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the bottle cap of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the bottle cap of FIG. 3 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective, exploded view of a further, alternative embodiment of a beverage container with an identification system in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 in operation.

While the inventions disclosed herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, only a few specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The figures and detailed descriptions of these specific embodiments are not intended to limit the breadth or scope of the inventive concepts or the appended claims in any manner. Rather, the figures and detailed written descriptions are provided to illustrate the inventive concepts to a person of ordinary skill in the art and to enable such person to make and use the inventive concepts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The Figures described above and the written description of specific structures and functions below are not presented to limit the scope of what Applicants have invented or the scope of the appended claims. Rather, the Figures and written description are provided to teach any person skilled in the art to make and use the inventions for which patent protection is sought. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that not all features of a commercial embodiment of the inventions are described or shown for the sake of clarity and understanding. Persons of skill in this art will also appreciate that the development of an actual commercial embodiment incorporating aspects of the present inventions will require numerous implementation-specific decisions to achieve the developer's ultimate goal for the commercial embodiment. Such implementation-specific decisions may include, and likely are not limited to, compliance with system-related, business-related, government-related and other constraints, which may vary by specific implementation, location and from time to time. While a developer's efforts might be complex and time-consuming in an absolute sense, such efforts would be, nevertheless, a routine undertaking for those of skill in this art having benefit of this disclosure. It must be understood that the inventions disclosed and taught herein are susceptible to numerous and various modifications and alternative forms. Lastly, the use of a singular term, such as, but not limited to, “a,” is not intended as limiting of the number of items. Also, the use of relational terms, such as, but not limited to, “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “upper,” “lower,” “down,” “up,” “side,” and the like are used in the written description for clarity in specific reference to the Figures and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or the appended claims.

Applicants have created a closure for a beverage container, such as a threadable cap for a water bottle, which allows for individualized identify of the closure by the user, as well as identifying cover means on such a closure for the individualization and user identification, and methods for the use of such closure assemblies.

Turning now to the figures, FIGS. 1 and 2 generally illustrate the details of a bottle cap, or closure, 10 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The cap 10 is comprised of a circular, substantially planer cover or top surface 12 and an annular depending skirt 14 with optional knurls 15 formed on the outside surface thereof. Skirt 14 depends from the cover 12 down to, and meets with, the top edge of the annular flange 16 formed at the bottom of the skirt and circumscribing the skirt. The flange 16 has a lower edge 18, and upper edge 20, as well as an inner surface edge 22 where the lower portion of skirt 14 meets with the top surface of flange 16. This can be seen more clearly in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. Cap 10 is preferably substantially annular in shape about a central axis, a, may be made of any number of suitable plastic or polymeric materials, including polymer blends. Further, cap 10 (and any of the closures described herein) may be of any number of colors, including red, pink, blue, yellow, orange, green, brown, white, and black, as well as shades and combinations thereof, wherein the color of the cap may serve as a personalizable indicator alone or in combination with personalizable regions as described in more detail herein. These features of cap 10, alone or in combination, advantageously allow the user locating their beverage container in an environment containing a number of other similar containers belonging to other users.

Cover 12 also preferably includes a personalizable region 30, which while illustrated as a rectangular region on the top, exterior surface of the cover 12, may be of any shape, such as generally circular and of the same or approximately (e.g., about 95% of the diameter of) the same as the diameter of cover 12, and may be located at any region on the cap 10, or in a plurality of locations (not shown) on the exterior surface of cap 10. This region 30 is preferably made of a material which, unlike the polymeric material the rest of cap 10 is manufactured from, can receive hand-written or drawn indicia 32 thereon, such as from a pen, pencil, or marker of any type. In a further, optional arrangement of this embodiment (not shown), personalizable region 30 may comprise a protective over-film (not shown) to protect the personalizable surface until the user is ready to mark on region 30 with an appropriate marking means (such as a marker or pen). Alternatively, the protective over-film may be removed to expose an adhesive layer underneath, to which customizable, identifying tags having letters, words, symbols, logos, or graphic images may be attached, the customizable tags serving as individualized identification means for the cap 10 and the beverage container to which cap 10 will later be associated with. In yet a further aspect of the present disclosure, personalizable region 30 may be pre-stamped using an appropriate stamping or imaging assembly during the manufacture of cap 10, wherein the personalized region 30 is stamped with a particular, themed image, such as a sports image, flowers, animals, and the like.

FIG. 2 shows a side-view of the cap 10 of FIG. 1 in partial cut away cross section. A plurality of distinct threads 26 are formed on the inside surface 24 of the skirt 14, the number of threads 26 depending on the size of the cap, the height of the skirt 14, and in some instances, the thread spacing of the corresponding threads on the beverage container neck. FIG. 2 also illustrates detail of the bottom end of skirt 14 joining to the top surface of flange 16 at point 22.

Turning now to FIGS. 3-5, a further, alternative embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. These figures will now be described in turn. FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary cap 100 for providing individualized identifying indicia to beverage containers during use. Cap 100 comprises an upper, top cover region 110 and an oppositely spaced open bottom end 119. An annular skirt 114 depends downward away from top 110 and terminating at annular flange 118 at the bottom end 119. Flange 118 extends outwardly from the exterior of skirt 114 to create a lip region 114, and circumscribes the exterior of the cap at the bottom edge of skirt 114. As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 4, cover region 110 includes a removable/replaceable sub-cap portion 112 having one or more tabs 122a, 122b formed thereon. The sub-cap 112 also includes a region 120 on the exterior surface which is comprised of a material that is amenable to a user adding identifiable indicia, including words, letters, images, or the like, using an appropriate identifier means, such as a Sharpie®-type permanent marker or the like. In accordance with further embodiments of this aspect of the disclosure, sub-cap 112 and cap 100 may be of the same or different colors, allowing for further user identification of the beverage container to which cap 100 is associated. For example, cap 100 may comprise a top and skirt region that is white, and a removable, sub-cap region 112 that is pink. Other color combinations in view of this disclosure, such as a red cap and a blue sub-cap, etc., are also envisioned, and allow for quick user identification, and inter-changeability.

FIG. 5 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the cap of FIG. 3, taken along line 5-5. As shown therein, a plurality of distinct threads 126 may be formed on the inside surface 124 of the skirt 114, the number of threads 126 depending on the size of the cap, the height of the skirt 114, and in some instances, the thread spacing of the corresponding threads on the beverage container neck. Alternatively, there may be no threads on the inside surface 124, or, instead of threads 126, there may be grooves (not shown) formed into the interior surface of cap 100, as appropriate and depending upon the type of beverage container the cap 100 will mate with during use. As is also illustrated in FIG. 5, in accordance with sub-cap 112, the cap region 110 will typically include a grooved region 117 which cap 112 will fit into when inserted into cap region 110 using tabs 122 or other appropriate and simple retaining means. In accordance with this aspect of the disclosure, cap 100 includes one or more openings 111 (such as openings 111a, 111b in FIG. 4) along its inner perimeter which are shaped to accept sub-cap 112 upon alignment of the corresponding tabs 122a, 122b with openings 111. In use, upon customizing sub-cap 112, the user aligns the tabs 122 with the openings 111 in the top cap region 110 of cap 100, wherein sub-cap 112 drops into grooved region 117 below the top surface of the cap. The sub-cap 112 may then be rotated within the grooved region so as to move tabs 122 out of alignment with openings 111, thereby retaining the sub-cap within the top region of the cap itself.

FIGS. 6-7 illustrate an alternative embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure, showing a disposable, roll-down cap cover 300 which can be placed over the exterior surface of a cap or closure 400 of a beverage container 500 to allow for individualized identification of the beverage container, particularly among other containers. In FIG. 6, an exploded view of an identification system in accordance with the present disclosure, the system comprising a flexible, roll down identifying cap 300, a beverage container closure 400, such as of the threaded type, and a beverage container 500 having a threaded, upper neck region. Cap 300 comprises a body having a wall 301, a closed end 304, and an open end 306, as well as a retaining ring or protrusion 302 extending circumferentially about the body. Closure 400 comprises a cover region 412, a skirt region 414, and an annular, circumferential flange 416.

In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, cap 300 may be made of any number of flexible, polymeric materials exhibiting a suitable elastomeric or flexible property so as to be able to be rolled down over a container closure 400 without tearing or ripping, retain its shape once unrolled, and amenable to the adherence or making of indicia—e.g., cap 300 must be made of a material which can be colored as appropriate to provide unique, color-coded individual indicia, or be of a polymeric material suitable for marking, via manual or machine-generated means, of indicia thereon, including but not limited to letters, numbers, images, logos, and the like. Exemplary materials from which cap 300 may be made include but are not limited to polymers such as polyalkylene glycols, polyols, polyurethanes, phthalates, nitriles, butylenes, latex (both natural, synthetic, biodegradable, and/or combinations thereof), and the like. The polyalkylene glycol components may include polyalkylene glycols, polyalkylene glycol ethers, for example, polyalkylene glycol stearates, oleates, cocoates, and the like and mixtures thereof. Although, any suitable polyalkylene glycol component may be employed. PEGylated compounds, such as peptide or protein derivatives obtained by PEGylation reactions may also be used. In addition, block copolymers of PEG's may be used, such as (ethyleneglycol)-block-poly(propyleneglycol)-block(polyethylene glycol), poly(ethylene glycol-propylene glycol) (ramdon copolymer) and the like and mixtures thereof. In accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure, the compositions of this invention comprise at least about 25% by weight of the polyalkylene glycol component, more preferably at least about 70%, about 80% or about 90% by weight of the composition.

Also illustrated in FIG. 6 are general details of exemplary beverage container 500, in accordance with any of the aspects disclosed herein. In particular, FIG. 6. illustrates the interaction of cap 300 with closure 400 and beverage container 500. Exemplary container 500 has a central neck opening 504 at the upper end 506 of the neck region 502. Extending downwardly and slightly outward thereof is a vertical neck attachment region 501 which terminates in vertical and outwardly extending stretch 512. The exterior of the neck region 501 is hereinafter described. The interior of container 500 forms no part of the present invention. The interior thereof forms no part of the present invention. With a blow-molded bottle as generally illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the interior contour of the neck generally tends to follow that of the exterior.

However, it will be understood that other types of bottles may be used and in such instances, the internal neck shape may vary from that of the exterior.

Extending outward of neck region 501 are threads 508. In the depicted embodiment of FIG. 6 there are two threads 508 designated 508aa and 508b. In exemplary, non-limiting embodiment illustrated, the finish has twelve threads per inch with a double lead, each thread being six pitch and extending slightly in excess of 360° of a full thread. Thus the upper terminus 509 of the first thread is vertically displaced approximately a set distance, depending on the thread pitch of the neck, from the lower terminus 510 thereof. The upper terminus 508a of the second thread is displaced about 180° relative to terminus 509 and its lower terminus 510 is approximately diametrically opposite the second thread terminus (not shown). It is understood that the threads can be extended greater than or less than 360° in order to achieve increased thread engagement between the closure 400 and the neck of the beverage container, as appropriate. Also, additional thread leads and different linear thread density (threads per inch) on both closure 400 and the neck region 501 of beverage container 500 are permitted in accordance with the present disclosure, and may be advantageously chosen. A portion 516 of region 501 is located below the threads extending down to the top surface of upper shoulder 512, which is horizontal, and which transitions into lip 514.

As stated previously, instead of threads on the inside of the skirt and outside of the neck, one thread may be replaced by a groove. Further, instead of threads 508 being continuous, they may be interrupted.

Cap 300 may be made such that the body and wall is made of one piece of elastomeric material, as shown, or may be made of a plurality of elastomeric materials adhered together in any acceptable manner, such as by the use of adhesives or hot-welding techniques. This feature of cap 300 allows for the use of differently-colored pieces to be used to act as individual indicia (e.g., the cap 300 may comprise red, white and blue stripes, or orange and white stripes, the stripes being individual to the user). Exemplary materials from which cap 300 may be manufactured include, but are not limited to.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 in operation, with roll-down cap cover 300 covering substantially the entire exterior region of container closure 400 when the closure is threadably connected to the neck region 502 of beverage container 500. As shown in the Figure, when cap 300 has been rolled down over closure 400, the retaining ring portion 302 of the cap is below the flange 416 of cap 400, and also below the lip 514 of beverage container 500, the elasticity of the material of cap 300 providing sufficient force to retain the cap 300 in place. Alternatively, and equally acceptable, the cap 300 may include an elastic retaining band (not shown), or based on the nature of the material of manufacture and/or the size of the cap 300 may be elastically retained in place against closure 400 without having to extend below flange 416 or lip 514, thus allowing the closure 400 to be more readily removed by a user while still maintaining the identifying nature of cap 300.

In accordance with other aspects of the present disclosure, any of the individualizable caps, or closures, described herein may be packaged in kits, packs, or the like, which may then be offered for sale to consumers in an appropriate marketing arena, such as near the water bottle section of a grocery store. In the event that the individualizable caps are sold in a kit, the kit may include a package comprising a plurality of the caps, markers or pens for writing on the caps (or, cap covers, as appropriate), and/or a plurality of indicia for placement on the caps, such as letters, logos (i.e., sport team logos), names, or pictures for further cap individualization of the caps by the consumer at a later point in time.

Other and further embodiments utilizing one or more aspects of the inventions described above can be devised without departing from the spirit of Applicant's invention. For example, the roll-down cap covers could be made of a material which allows them to be written on for further individualization. Further, the various methods and embodiments of the identifiable beverage closures can be included in combination with each other to produce variations of the disclosed methods and embodiments. Discussion of singular elements can include plural elements and vice-versa.

It should also be noted that the order of steps in processes described herein can occur in a variety of sequences unless otherwise specifically limited. The various steps described herein can be combined with other steps, interlineated with the stated steps, and/or split into multiple steps. Similarly, elements have been described functionally and can be embodied as separate components or can be combined into components having multiple functions.

The inventions have been described in the context of preferred and other embodiments and not every embodiment of the invention has been described. Obvious modifications and alterations to the described embodiments are available to those of ordinary skill in the art. The disclosed and undisclosed embodiments are not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the invention conceived of by the Applicants, but rather, in conformity with the patent laws, Applicants intend to fully protect all such modifications and improvements that come within the scope or range of equivalent of the following claims.

Claims

1. A cap for use with a container having a threaded neck region, the cap comprising:

a substantially circular cover;

a skirt region depending from the periphery of the cover and extending to a circumferential flange spaced opposite the cover, the skirt including an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface has an engagement means formed therein; and

a region on the cover, skirt, or both the cover and the skirt that is customizable with individual user personal identification indicia.

2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the cap is colored.

3. The cap of claim 1, wherein the personal identification indicia that can be included in the customizable region of the cap include words, images, logos, letters, numbers, colors, and combinations thereof.

4. A personal identification device for attachment to a beverage container having a neck region with an opening at the upper end of the neck, the device comprising:

a cap comprising: a circular cover; a skirt region depending from the periphery of the cover and terminating at a circumferential flange spaced opposite the cover, the skirt including an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface has an engagement means formed therein; and a region that is customizable with identifying indicia,

wherein the cap is dimensioned such that the engagement means on the interior surface of the cap can sealingly engage a second engagement means formed on an exterior surface of the neck region of the beverage container when the cap is screwed onto the container neck.

5. The cap of claim 4, wherein the customizable, identifying indicia comprises words, images, logos, letters, numbers, colors, and combinations thereof.

6. In combination, a container neck and a container closure, the neck having an upper opening, a downward extending neck stretch portion below the opening; and

a container closure, the closure comprising: a circular cover; a skirt region depending from the periphery of the cover and terminating at a circumferential flange spaced opposite the cover, the skirt including an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface has an engagement means formed therein; and a region that is customizable with identifying indicia,

wherein when the closure is attached to the upper opening of the container neck, the closure provides a personally identifiable closure that identifies that the individual container belongs to a specific user.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the customizable, identifying indicia comprises words, images, logos, letters, numbers, colors, and combinations thereof.