BOTTLE AND TRAVEL MUG IN ONE VESSEL

Abstract

A drinking vessel that may be used as a bottle and as a travel mug is disclosed. The vessel comprises a cover assembly and a handle attached by a hinge to the cover assembly. The cover assembly comprises an upper layer and a lower layer, and a cover gear between the two layers, allowing the upper layer to rotate in response to the rotation of the handle, while the lower layer is fixed. When rotated, the handle rotates with it a pinion which engages with the ring of said cover gear only within a preset range, causing the upper layer to rotate. The upper layer of the cover assembly comprises a large opening, and the lower layer comprises a large opening and a small opening. When the two large openings are aligned, they serve as a bottle spout. When the upper layer is rotated and its large opening aligns with the small opening of the lower layer, their combination serve as a travel mug spout.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/553,194 filed on 29 Oct. 2011.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

This invention relates to beverage vessels, and in particular to a hybrid vessel that can be configured for use as a bottle or as a travel mug by the user.

One object of the present invention is to offer an alternative to disposable bottles, cans, and cups.

Reusable bottles and mugs currently come in various shapes and with many different features, none of which offer the benefit of using the same vessel in different configurations, namely as a bottle and as a travel mug. This limitation of such traditional utensils makes it necessary to use different vessels for the different drinks that a person usually consumes throughout the day. A hybrid vessel would encourage people to use it on more occasions, as many people already carry a bottle for their beverages.

Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a vessel as an alternative to reusable vessels and that can be used in various settings.

Thus, one aspect of the present invention includes the provision of a cover assembly that provides bottle and travel mug configurations.

Another aspect is to provide a rotating handle that doubles up as top cover for the bottle, and a side handle for the travel mug.

These and other objects, aspects and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of its embodiments when read in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to beverage vessels, and in particular to vessels that can be configured for use as bottles or as mugs by the user. The present invention includes the following interrelated objects, aspects and features:

The invented vessel comprises a cover assembly and a handle attached to the cover assembly, which handle may act as a closure for an opening in the cover assembly or, alternatively, may act as a travel mug handle upon rotating it to a vertical position. The cover assembly comprises an upper layer and a lower layer, with the upper layer having a large opening, and the lower layer having a large opening and a small opening at 90 degrees counterclockwise from the large opening.

In one embodiment, the cover assembly comprises a gear set between the two layers, allowing the upper layer to rotate while the lower layer is fixed. Said gear set comprises a pinion and a planetary gear mechanism having a ring or annulus that has outside teeth as well as inside teeth. The handle, having a fixed connection to the pinion, rotates the pinion that drives the gear between said upper and lower layers, such that when the handle is rotated within a preset angle range, the pinion teeth engage with the outside teeth of said ring and causes the gear to move, thus aligning the large opening of the upper layer with either the large opening of the lower layer, yielding a bottle configuration, or the small opening of the lower layer to yield a travel mug configuration when the handle is rotated to the position of a travel mug handle.

In another, preferred embodiment, the cover assembly comprises a cylindrical cam mechanism, also allowing the upper layer to rotate while the lower layer is fixed. Said cam mechanism comprises a cylindrical cam having a groove that constrains a follower, which we call glider. The handle has a fixed connection to the cylindrical cam, so that the cam rotates in response to the handle rotation. The groove in the cam is designed so that it causes the glider to move in such a way that when the handle is rotated within preset angle ranges, the glider moves either to the left, to the right, or not at all. At the end of said glider is a connector pin which fits into a slot in the upper layer, causing the upper layer to rotate 90 degrees around its access in response to the glider's movement, thus aligning the large opening of the upper layer with either the large opening of the lower layer, yielding a bottle configuration, or the small opening of the lower layer to yield a travel mug configuration when the handle is rotated to the position of a travel mug handle.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a hybrid vessel that serves conveniently as a bottle and as a travel mug.

Since in the bottle configuration the vessel is typically used for cold drinks, while in the travel mug configuration it is more often used for hot drinks. Therefore, a further object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid vessel in a configuration that is suitable for both hot and cold beverages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows an embodiment of the cover assembly in the closed position.

FIGS. 1B, 1C, and 1D show different views of an embodiment of the cover assembly and the attached handle in the closed position.

FIGS. 1E and 1F show different views of an embodiment of the vessel with the handle in the closed position.

FIGS. 1G, 1H, 1I, and 1J show different views of an embodiment of the gear set in the closed position.

FIG. 2A shows an embodiment of the cover assembly in the bottle position.

FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 2D show different views of an embodiment of the cover assembly and the attached handle in the bottle position.

FIGS. 2E, 2F, 2G, and 2H show different views of an embodiment of the gear set in the bottle position.

FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of the cover assembly in the travel mug position.

FIGS. 3B, 3C, and 3D show different views of an embodiment of the cover assembly and the attached handle in the travel mug position.

FIGS. 3E and 3F show different views of an embodiment of the vessel with the handle in the travel mug position.

FIGS. 3G, 3H, 3I, and 3J show different views of an embodiment of the gear set in the travel mug position.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C show different views of a preferred embodiment (400) of the vessel in the closed position.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment (400) of the vessel.

FIG. 6-19 show detailed drawings of parts of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1A through 1D, the Cover Assembly 100 is shown having an Upper Layer 105 and a Lower Layer 107, and a Pinion 101 which can be rotated by the attached Handle 110. The cover assembly shown here is in the closed position, with the Handle 110 covering a Large Opening 106 in the Upper Layer 105. The Lower Layer 107 has two openings: a Bottle Opening 108 and a smaller Travel Mug Opening 109. FIGS. 1E and 1F show an embodiment of the Vessel 200 comprising the Cover Assembly 100 on top of Container 111, which container comprises a Concavity 112 such that, when the handle is rotated into the travel mug position it will sit opposite said concavity, as will be shown in FIGS. 3E and 3F.

FIG. 1G through 1J show the same cover assembly without the Handle 110 and the Lower Layer 107, exposing a planetary gear set comprising a Ring 102, a Planet 103, and a Sun 104. The Pinion 101 is shown having teeth that partially covers its surface, such that it drives Ring 102 only when rotated 90 degrees from the bottle position to the travel mug position and back, as will be demonstrated further in FIGS. 2 and 3. The Ring 102 has outer teeth 1021, which allow the Pinion 101 to drive the ring, and inner teeth 1022, which can drive the Planet 103. The axles of the Planet 103 and Sun 104 may be attached to the Lower Layer 107. The Sun 104 is however attached to the Upper Layer 105, such that the rotation of the Sun 104 causes the Upper Layer 105 to rotate by the same angle.

In the closed position, the Large Opening 106 is aligned with the Bottle Opening 108 of the lower layer and the vessel's Handle 110 covers the Large Opening 106 of the Upper Layer 105. By rotating the Handle 110, it exposes the large opening of the upper layer, and the vessel may be used as a bottle. FIG. 2A through 2D show the cover assembly in the bottle position, with the Handle 110 rotated 180 degrees, where the Large Opening 106 remains aligned with the Bottle Opening 108 of the Lower Layer 107.

The rotation of the hinge by up to 180 degrees from the closed position does not cause the upper layer to rotate, as the part of the circumference of the Pinion 101 that corresponds to this rotation has no teeth by which to drive the Ring 102 of the gear set. This is clearly shown in FIG. 2E through 2H, where the Pinion 101 is shown to have rotated 180 from the closed position, and the part of its surface that corresponds to this rotation having no teeth to drive the Ring 102.

After this 180 degrees rotation however, the part of the pinion that does have teeth is aligned and ready to engage the outer teeth 1021 of the Ring 102 of the gear set. Further rotating the Handle 110, hence the Pinion 101, engages the pinion's teeth with the outer teeth 1021 of the ring of the gear set causing it to rotate, and consequently causing the Planet 103, and the Sun 104 with the attached Upper Layer 105 to rotate until the Large Opening 106 of the Upper Layer 105 is aligned with the Travel Mug Opening 109 of the Lower Layer 107 of the cover assembly. This is shown is FIG. 3A through J, which correspond to the travel mug configuration of the vessel. The diameter of the Pinion 101 and Sun 104 are made the same, so that the rotation of the Handle 110, and thus Pinion 101, by 90 degrees from its position in FIG. 2, affects a 90 degrees rotation in the Sun 104 and the attached Upper Layer 105 of the cover assembly.

In an embodiment of the invention, although not shown in the figures, the Ring 102 may have affixed, on its inside, extrusions that may block either the Bottle Opening 108, when the cover assembly is in the travel mug position, or the Travel Mug Opening 109, when the cover assembly is in the bottle position. Although not shown in the figures, an embodiment may additionally comprise a spring loaded spout which spans roughly twice the height of the cover assembly. In the closed position, the spring loaded spout is pushed by the Handle 110 through Bottle Opening 108. In the bottle position, said spout extends from the Bottle Opening 108 through and above opening 106. In the travel mug position, said spout extends from Travel Mug Opening 109 through and above opening 106.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, which show different views of a preferred embodiment 400 of the invented vessel that employs a cylindrical cam mechanism to achieve the same purpose. FIG. 4B is a section view of the vessel 400, showing the different parts that make up the vessel, namely:

Part No. Part name
401      Cam
402      Lower layer
403      Upper layer
404      Glider
405      Positioner
406      Beaker
407      Beaker cover
408      Stand
409      Connect pin
410      Handle
411      Spout
412      Insulation
413      Safety slide

The vessel 400 comprises an insulated beaker made of the parts 406, 412, and 407, and affixed to a Stand 408. Vessel 400 further comprises a removable cover assembly consisting of a cylindrical Cam 401, a Lower Layer 402, an Upper Layer 403, a Glider 404, a Positioner 405, a Connect pin 409, a Handle 410, a Safety slide 413, and a Handle 410.

The Handle 410 has a fixed connection to Cam 401, such that rotating said Handle rotates the Cam accordingly. The groove on the Cam 401 constrains the Glider 404 which is operably in contact with said Cam, causing it to move left or right in accordance with the rotation of Handle 410. The Connect pin 409 is attached to the end of the Glider 404, and operably fits in a slot shown in the Upper layer 403, which causes said Glider's movement to be translated into a rotation of the Upper layer 403 around its axis in response to the movement of Glider 404. Thus, the rotation of the Handle is translated into a rotation of Upper layer 403.

Part of the groove shown on Cam 401 is perpendicular to its axis of rotation, having no effect on the Glider 404. This corresponds to the rotation of the Handle 410 from the closed position by 180 degrees. Further rotation of the Handle 410 by 90 degrees to the travel mug position, or back, corresponds with the remainder of the groove, causing the Glider 404 to move left, or right, and thus the Upper layer 403 to rotate ±90 degrees, aligning the spout of the Upper layer 403 with the travel mug opening, or the bottle opening, in the Lower layer 402.

The Positioner 405 and the Glider 402 together encapsulate the Cam 401, keeping it in place as it is rotated by the Handle's movement.

The novel mechanism above thus causes the large opening in the Upper layer 403 to align with either the large opening of the Lower layer 402 in the closed and bottle configurations, or the small opening of the lower layer to yield a travel mug configuration when the handle is rotated to the position of a travel mug handle.

Affixed to Upper layer 403, directly over its large opening, is a spout which allows the user to conveniently drink or sip from the vessel in either configuration. In addition, a Security slide 413 allows the user to secure the Handle 410 to prevent accidental opening of said Handle.

FIG. 6 through FIG. 17 show detailed drawings of the parts listed above, except for the Stand 408. FIG. 18 shows a rendering of the preferred embodiment of the invented vessel in the bottle configuration, while FIG. 19 shows a rendering of the same embodiment in the travel mug configuration.

While the present invention is depicted in the figures as having particular arrangements for the gear set, the cam mechanism, and cover assembly, and as having particular shapes for the handle and the container, other arrangements and shapes can be incorporated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Various changes, modifications and alterations in the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof. As such, it is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the attached claims.

Claims

1. A drinking vessel comprising: a container having an open top; and a cap assembly attachable to said container, said cap assembly having a cap platform portion with a large opening and a small opening, said large and small openings being positioned at 90 degrees from each other, and a rotatable upper layer with a drinking spout receivable within said platform portion, and a means of rotating said upper layer such that said drinking spout aligns alternately with said large opening and said small opening of said platform portion.

2. A drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein said means comprise a handle that is rotatably connected to said upper layer via a cam mechanism, said cam mechanism comprising a cam wheel having a groove, and a follower that is operably connected to said upper layer such that the movement of said follower is translated to a rotation of said upper layer.

3. A drinking vessel according to claim 2, wherein said handle has top and bottom surface portions, and proximal and distal opposite end portions, said proximal end portion having first hinge means that pivotably associates said handle with said cap platform portion, whereby said handle is pivotable relative to said upper layer; said bottom surface portion having a depression defined therein at said distal end portion, the interrelationship between said drinking spout and said depression being such that, when said handle is pivoted so that said depression is adjacent said drinking spout, said depression closes said drinking spout.

4. A drinking vessel according to claim 3, wherein said hinge means has a fixed connection to said cam wheel, and said groove being shaped such that the rotation of said cam wheel causes rotation of said upper layer when said handle is being rotated within a first range of rotation angle, said rotation angle being measured between the surface of said upper layer and said handle, and said range being between 180 and 270 degrees.

5. A drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein said means comprise a handle that is rotatably connected to said upper layer via a set of gears.

6. A drinking vessel comprising: a container having an open top; and a cap assembly attachable to said container, said cap assembly having a cap platform portion with a drinking spout, and a rotatable lower layer receivable within said platform portion, said lower layer having a large opening and a small opening, said large and small openings being positioned at 90 degrees from each other, and a means of rotating said lower layer such that said large opening and said small opening align alternately with said drinking spout of said platform portion.

7. A drinking vessel according to claim 6, wherein said means comprise a handle that is rotatably connected to said lower layer via a cam mechanism.

8. A drinking vessel according to claim 6, wherein said means comprise a handle that is rotatably connected to said lower layer via a set of gears.