Sound-emitting Beverage Container

Abstract

The present invention is a sound-emitting beverage container. The container comprises a generally cylindrical receptacle having a substantially closed bottom and open top, and receiving at its bottom a removable coaster, which coaster includes a top member and a bottom member, each member having a hollowed space in its center, wherein the space receives therein a removable sound chip, which sound chip comprises an integrated circuit connected to a power source for powering the integrated circuit, a switch for controlling the power source upon actuation of said switch, and a speaker, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to store a signal corresponding to a pre-recorded sound and to transmit to the speaker the signal for producing the pre-recorded sound upon the integrated circuit being supplied with power from the power source upon actuation of the switch.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. application Ser. No. 61/459,728, filed Dec. 17, 2010, the specification of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a beverage container which produces a sound.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beverage containers, particularly those comprising an insulating sleeve of the type generally referred to as a koozie are frequently distributed as part of promotional efforts for concerts, sporting events, movies, radio stations, and other aspects of the entertainment industry. The practice has become so common, however, and such containers are so widely available for small costs, that the distinctiveness of the container as a promotional item has been lost. Retention of the promotional message relating to the beverage covers is thus substantially reduced. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a distinctive insulated beverage container which reinforces retention of a promotional message when distributed. It would further be advantageous if the beverage container provided a source of amusement or entertainment to users and recipients.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is a sound-emitting beverage container and a method of emitting a sound by a user of a sound-emitting beverage container. The container comprises a generally cylindrical receptacle having a substantially closed bottom and open top, and receiving at its bottom a removable coaster, which coaster includes a top member and a bottom member, each member having a hollowed space in its center, wherein the space receives therein a removable sound chip, which sound chip comprises an integrated circuit connected to a power source for powering the integrated circuit, a switch for controlling the power source upon actuation of said switch, and a speaker, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to store a signal corresponding to a pre-recorded sound and to transmit to the speaker the signal for producing the pre-recorded sound upon the integrated circuit being supplied with power from the power source upon actuation of the switch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the receptacle, coaster, and sound chip of the sound-emitting beverage container.

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the coaster of the sound-emitting beverage container showing the top member and bottom members, and hollowed space of each of the top and bottom members for receiving the sound chip.

FIG. 3 illustrates a general schematic block circuit diagram of the basic components of the sound chip of the sound-emitting beverage container.

FIG. 4 illustrates the sound chip of the sound-emitting beverage container as placed inside the hollowed space of the top and bottom members of the coaster.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the speaker of the sound chip of the sound-emitting beverage container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings, and more particularly by reference numbers, the sound-emitting beverage container includes a receptacle 110, removable coaster 112, and removable sound chip 114. The receptacle 110 is generally cylindrical and has a substantially closed bottom and open top, and receives at its bottom the removable coaster 112. Preferably, the receptacle 110 is a standard beverage koozie made of an insulating material such as foam or polychloroprene (Neoprene™). The removable coaster 112 has top 404 and bottom 402 members, each member having a hollowed space 212 in its center, and receiving inside such space 212 a removable sound chip 114 configured to store a pre-recorded sound and emit said sound upon activation. The top member 404 of the coaster 112 with hollowed space 212 includes a layer of a water-resistant material 406 such as plastic to prevent damage to the sound chip 114 from condensation forming on the exterior of a beverage can or bottle placed inside the receptacle 110. The coaster 112 including top 404 and bottom 402 members are preferably made of a material that is moisture and vibration-resistant such as polyethylene foam. The top 404 and bottom 402 members of the coaster 112 may contain at least one perforation in its center and extending completely therethrough.

The sound chip 114 comprises an integrated circuit 302, a power source 308 for supplying power to the integrated circuit 302, a switch 306 for controlling the supply of power from the power source 308 to the integrated circuit 302, and a speaker 310. The integrated circuit 302 is configured to store and transmit to the speaker 310 through a wire 304 a signal corresponding to a pre-recorded sound to be produced by the speaker 310. The switch 306 is a push-button switch that, when actuated, permits the power source 308 connected to the integrated circuit 302 to supply power to the integrated circuit 302, thereby permitting the signal stored in the integrated circuit 302 to be transmitted to the speaker 310. The push-button switch 306 is preferably oriented upwardly so that it will be actuated when sufficient force is applied from a beverage can or bottle that has been inserted into the receptacle 110 by a user of the beverage container. The speaker 310 is preferably oriented downwardly so as to permit the emission of the sound from the speaker 310 through the bottom of the receptacle 110.

The pre-recorded sound may be a promotional message, fight song for an athletic team, or any other sound that capable of providing entertainment to the user of the beverage container.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

Claims

1. A sound-emitting beverage container comprising a receptacle for receiving a beverage can or bottle, removable coaster, and removable sound chip, wherein said receptacle is generally cylindrical and has a substantially closed bottom and open top, and receives at its bottom said removable coaster, said removable coaster having top and bottom members, each member having a hollowed space in its center, and receiving inside said space said removable sound chip, said removable sound-chip configured to emit a pre-recorded sound stored therein upon activation thereof.

2. The sound-emitting beverage container of claim 1, wherein said receptacle is made of foam or polychloroprene.

3. The sound-emitting beverage container of claim 1, wherein said receptacle is a koozie.

4. The sound-emitting beverage container of claim 1, wherein said top member having said hollowed space includes a layer of water-resistant material inside said space.

5. The sound-emitting beverage container of claim 1, wherein said sound chip comprises an integrated circuit connected to a power source for powering said integrated circuit, a switch for controlling said power source upon actuation of said switch, and a speaker, said integrated circuit configured to store a signal corresponding to a pre-recorded sound and to transmit to said speaker said signal for producing the pre-recorded sound upon said integrated circuit being supplied with power from said power source upon actuation of said switch.

6. The sound-emitting beverage container of claim 5, wherein said switch is a push-button switch that is actuated when a minimum force is applied to said switch, said minimum force supplied by a beverage can or bottle placed inside said receptacle by a user of said beverage container.