COOLER BOTTLE

Abstract

A drinks container includes a circumferential recess, the recess having a diameter which is smaller than adjacent portions of the container; a sleeve received in the recess, the sleeve having an inner diameter which is smaller than the adjacent portions of the container and containing the constituents of an endothermic reaction; wherein the constituents are separated from one another in an unactivated configuration and are combined in an activated configuration thereby causing an endothermic reaction; wherein the container or sleeve is deformable to allow the sleeve to be received over the adjacent portions when the sleeve is in the unactivated configuration.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a drinks container.

It is often desirable to cool a drink before consuming. For example, alcoholic beverages, such as lager, and soft drinks, such as cola, are best enjoyed when cooled below room temperature. Consequently, consumers and retailers may refrigerate drinks so that they are cool when they are to be consumed. However, it is not always possible to provide refrigeration to cool the drink. For example, refrigeration may not be available when the drink is to be consumed outdoors, such as on a picnic. In these situations, a cool box may be used to cool the drink or maintain the drink at a cool temperature following removal from a refrigerator. Alternatively, a previously frozen cooler sleeve may be used to cool the drink. However, such cooling devices are only able to cool the drink for a relatively short time and thereafter the drink returns to the ambient temperature of its surroundings. Therefore, these cooling devices are not suitable when the drink is to be consumed at a much later time.

Furthermore, the use of refrigeration systems to continuously keep a drink cool until it is to be drunk is not the most economical solution.

It is known to use exothermic and endothermic reactions to heat or cool drinks. Devices employing such reactions allow the drink to be cooled or heated prior to consuming and thus are an improvement on the techniques described above.

For example, GB 2316159 discloses a flexible sleeve which has pockets filled with water or ammonium nitrate. Adjacent pockets are filled with water and ammonium nitrate respectively and burstable seals are provided between the adjacent pockets to separate the two. The sleeve may be fitted over a can after the seals have been burst to allow the endothermic reaction of the ammonium nitrate dissolving in the water to commence. Consequently, the sleeve cools the contents of the can.

With the seals intact, the internal circumference of the sleeve may be too small to receive the can within it. However, the internal circumference of the sleeve increases when the seals are burst thereby allowing the sleeve to receive the can. Consequently, it is necessary to activate the endothermic reaction before the can is inserted into the sleeve. This may be undesirable, particularly when the drink is to be sold with the sleeve.

The internal circumference of the sleeve may be configured to allow the endothermic reaction to be initiated after the can has been received within the sleeve. However, with this configuration, the sleeve is not in intimate contact with the can once it has been activated. This reduces the heat transfer between the can and the sleeve and thus is detrimental to the effectiveness of the sleeve.

The present invention seeks to overcome some or all of the problems associated with the prior art sleeve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a drinks container comprising: a circumferential recess, the recess having a diameter which is smaller than adjacent portions of the container; a sleeve received in the recess, the sleeve having an inner diameter which is smaller than the adjacent portions of the container and containing the constituents of an endothermic reaction; wherein the constituents are separated from one another in an unactivated configuration and are combined in an activated configuration thereby causing an endothermic reaction; wherein the container or sleeve is deformable to allow the sleeve to be received over the adjacent portions when the sleeve is in the unactivated configuration.

The sleeve may be fitted over the bottle when the bottle is not full and is thus capable being deformed itself. This may prevent the sleeve from being removed after the bottle has been filled and thus provide a security measure.

The drinks container may be a can or bottle.

The inner diameter of the sleeve may be less than or approximately equal to the diameter of the recess when the sleeve is in the activated and/or unactivated configuration. Accordingly, the sleeve may be in intimate contact with the surface of the container so as to improve the heat transfer between the container and the sleeve.

The sleeve may be constructed from expandable polychloroprene (i.e. neoprene) or silicone rubber.

The constituents of the endothermic reaction may be ammonium nitrate or urea and water.

One of the constituents of the endothermic reaction (i.e. ammonium nitrate or urea) may be contained in a burstable capsule.

The capsule may be located within the sleeve and the sleeve may contain the other constituent of the endothermic reaction.

The capsule may comprise a tab which may be attached to the sleeve.

The tab may be welded or otherwise attached into a seam of the sleeve.

The tab may be attached to the sleeve so as to align the capsule with an indicium on an outer surface of the sleeve. The indicium may include a transparent portion of the sleeve which allows the capsule to be viewed. Furthermore, the indicium may include a printed motif (such as “press here”) over the position of the capsule for ease of activation.

At least a portion of the sleeve adjacent to the capsule may be protected by a removable cover to prevent the capsule from being burst. This may prevent the capsule from being burst inadvertently during transit or before the product is purchased. The cover may be attached to the sleeve or container using a security seal or other means which indicate whether the cover has been tampered with. Therefore, the cover may ensure that the sleeve is in the unactivated configuration when the product is purchased and remains this way until the drink is to be consumed.

The container may be made of plastic. This may allow the container to be deformed so as to allow the sleeve to be received over the adjacent portions.

The sleeve may be received over the adjacent portions prior to filling the container. Again, this may allow the container to be deformed.

The container may be made of glass. Accordingly, the sleeve may be deformable/expandable so as to allow the sleeve to be stretched over the adjacent portions.

The sleeve may fill the recess. For example, the sleeve may complete a contour of the container thereby covering or disguising the recess. This may provide a more ergonomic product which is easier to hold.

The recess and an inner surface of the sleeve may have complementary curved surfaces. This may increase the surface area over which the sleeve contacts the container and therefore may increase heat transfer. The recess and the inner surface of the sleeve may be corrugated to increase the surface area. Crests of the corrugations may extend in axial and/or radial directions.

The sleeve may be removed from the container so as to allow the container to be recycled.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a drinks container comprising: a circumferential recess, the recess having a diameter which is smaller than an adjacent portion of the container; a sleeve received in the recess, the sleeve having an inner diameter which is smaller than the adjacent portion of the container and containing the constituents of an endothermic reaction; wherein the constituents are separated from one another in an unactivated configuration and are combined in an activated configuration thereby causing an endothermic reaction; wherein the inner diameter of the sleeve may be less than or approximately equal to the diameter of the recess.

Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded front view of a drinks container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the drinks container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the drinks container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a burstable capsule used in a sleeve of the drinks container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the sleeve with the capsule of FIG. 4 in place.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the sleeve of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the drinks container of FIG. 1 provided with a protective cover.

FIG. 8 is an exploded front view of a drinks container in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the drinks container of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is perspective view of the drinks container of FIG. 8;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a drinks container 2 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a bottle 4, a sleeve 6 and a cap 8.

The bottle 4 is a generally cylindrical shape with an opening 10 located at the top of the bottle 4 for filling and dispensing a drink. The opening 10 is closed by the cap 8 which provides a liquid tight seal to prevent the drink from leaking out of the opening 10. The cap 8 and opening 10 may be provided with corresponding threads to allow the cap 8 to be repeatedly removed and replaced. The bottle 4 further comprises a neck portion 12 which widens from the opening 10 towards a circumferential recess 14. The circumferential recess 14 separates the neck portion 12 above the recess 14 from a base portion 16 below the recess 14.

The recess 14 has a smaller diameter than adjacent portions of the neck portion 12 and the base portion 16 located either side of the recess 14. The recess 14 extends around the entire circumference of the bottle 4 and is preferably located towards the centre of the bottle 4. The recess 14 is concave, with the diameter of the recess 14 tapering in an axial direction to a minimum diameter located approximately midway along the recess 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve 6 has an inner wall 18 and an outer wall 20 each constructed from polychloroprene (i.e. neoprene) or silicone rubber which allows the sleeve 6 to deform and expand. The inner wall 18 and outer wall 20 are separated from one another to form a cavity therebetween, which will be described in more detail below.

The axial length of the sleeve 6 is less than or approximately equal to the length of the recess 14 such that the sleeve 6 fits between the adjacent portions of the neck portion 12 and the base portion 16, as shown in FIG. 3. The inner wall 18 has an internal diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the adjacent portions of the neck portion 12 and base portion 16. Consequently, it is necessary to deform the sleeve 6 to increase its internal diameter sufficiently for it to be received over the adjacent portions of the neck portion 12 and the base portion 16 and into the recess 14.

The inner wall 18 has an internal profile which corresponds to that of the recess 14. The internal diameter of the inner wall 18 may be approximately equal to the diameter of the recess 14 along its length, such that the inner wall 18 is in intimate contact with the surface of the bottle 4 along the length of the recess 14. Alternatively, the internal diameter of the inner wall 18 may be less than the diameter of the recess 14 along its length. Consequently, the inner wall 18 is under tension and the surface of the bottle 4 at the recess 14 is under compression. This may improve the contact between the sleeve 6 and the bottle 4.

The outer wall 20 of the sleeve 6 is sized to fill the recess 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the outer wall 20 continues the contour of the bottle 4 between the neck portion 12 and the base portion 16, thereby covering the recess and disguising its presence. This gives the product an aesthetically pleasing appearance and makes the product more ergonomic and easier to hold. Furthermore, the outer wall 20 of the sleeve 6 provides an excellent graphic marketing area. In addition, since the sleeve 6 is constructed from a material which is different from that of the bottle 4, the sleeve 6 provides natural contrasting qualities that will make it (and the product) stand out.

The cavity formed between the inner wall 18 and the outer wall 20 of the sleeve houses the constituents of an endothermic reaction. An endothermic reaction is one which absorbs energy from its surroundings in the form of heat. The constituents of the endothermic reaction may be ammonium nitrate or urea and water. That said, the invention is not limited to these reactants and any known combination of reactants which result in an endothermic reaction may be used.

The reactants must be separated from one another until it is desired to cool the drink. Accordingly, one of the reactants is contained in a burstable capsule 22, as shown in FIG. 4. The capsule 22 may be ruptured by the application of force to the capsule 22, thereby releasing the reactant. The capsule 22 is further provided with a tab 24 which extends from the capsule and is used to fix the position of the capsule 22 within the sleeve 6.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the inner wall 18 and outer wall 20 are formed by a single piece of material which is folded over to define the inner and outer walls 18, 20 and joined at its free edges along a seam 26 to form the cavity 28. The inner and outer walls 18, 20 may be joined by welding, gluing, etc. to provide the cavity 28 with a liquid tight seal.

The cavity 28 is filled with the other reactant and contains the capsule 22. The tab 24 of the capsule 22 is located between the inner and outer walls 18, 20 at the seam 26, such that the tab 24 is captured between the inner and outer walls 18, 20 when they are joined to one another, thereby fixing the position of the capsule 22 within the cavity 28.

The capsule 22 is positioned within the cavity 28 so that it is aligned with an indicium 30 on the outer wall 20. The indicium 30 indicates the position of the capsule 22 to a consumer so that they know where to press the sleeve 6 to activate the endothermic reaction. Accordingly, the indicium 30 may include the words “press here” or other such invitation. Alternatively, the indicium 30 may be a transparent portion of the outer wall 20 which allows the consumer to see the capsule 22 within the sleeve 6. In this case, the capsule itself may also include an indicium, such as the words “press here”.

The drinks container 2 is supplied to a consumer prefilled with a drink. Furthermore, the drinks container 2 is supplied in an unactivated configuration where the capsule 22 is intact and thus separates the reactants of the endothermic reaction from one another. Shortly before the consumer wishes to consume the drink, they may depress the sleeve in the region of the indicium 30 thereby rupturing the capsule 22 and causing the reactant contained therein to be released into the cavity 28. Here, the reactant from the capsule 22 mixes with the reactant contained in the cavity 28. Accordingly, the reactants undergo the endothermic reaction and absorb heat from the bottle 4 and the drink contained within the bottle 4. Consequently, the temperature of the drink is reduced.

After the drink has been consumed, the sleeve 6 may be removed from the bottle 4 so that the bottle 4 can be recycled. Furthermore, with the large graphic area available on the outer surface of the sleeve 6, all graphic requirements may be produced on the sleeve alone. Consequently, other than removal of the sleeve 6, there is no further requirement to remove any labels, etc. prior to recycling the bottle 4.

To prevent the capsule 22 from being burst inadvertently during transit or before the product is purchased (for example, as an act of vandalism), a removable cover 32 may be provided to protect the capsule 22.

The removable cover 32 covers at least a portion of the sleeve 6 adjacent to the capsule 22. The cover 32 is formed from rigid plastic. The cover 32 may be substantially transparent so that the sleeve 6 and indicium 30 is visible, thereby aiding user understanding. The cover 32 comprises a pair of attachment portions 34a, 34b which are attached to the bottle 4 at the neck portion 12 and base portion 16 respectively. The neck portion 12 and base portion 16 may have recesses for receiving the attachment portions 34a, 34b so that they lie flush with the surface of the bottle 4. A curved portion 36 is disposed between the attachment portions 34a, 34b and thus spans the axial length of the sleeve 6. The curved portion 36 curves away from the outer wall 20 of the sleeve 6 and prevents pressure from being applied to the capsule 22.

The cover 32 may be attached to the bottle using a security seal or other means which indicate whether the cover has been tampered with. Therefore, the cover 32 may ensure that the sleeve 6 is in the unactivated configuration when the product is purchased and remains this way until the drink is to be consumed, at which point the consumer removes the cover 32.

FIGS. 8 to 10 disclose another embodiment of a drinks container. As for the drinks container 2 of the previous embodiment, the drinks container 102 comprises a bottle 104, a sleeve 106 and a cap 108.

The bottle 104 is a generally cylindrical shape with an opening 110 located at the top of the bottle 104 for filling and dispensing a drink. The opening 110 is closed by the cap 108 which provides a liquid tight seal to prevent the drink from leaking out of the opening 110. The bottle 104 further comprises a neck portion 112 which widens from the opening 110 towards a circumferential recess 114. The circumferential recess 114 separates the neck portion 112 above the recess 114 from a base portion 116 below the recess 114.

In contrast to the recess 114 of the drinks container 2 of the previous embodiment, the recess 114 is not concave, but instead has a diameter which is approximately constant along the axial length of the recess 114. Similarly, the inner wall 118 has a constant diameter along its axial length to correspond to the recess 114. Furthermore, the outer wall 120 may have a constant diameter along its axial length. The outer wall 120 of the sleeve 106 is sized to fill the recess 114 and extends between the neck portion 112 and the base portion 116, thereby covering the recess and disguising its presence.

As for the previous embodiment, the drinks container 102 may be provided with a cover 32 to prevent the capsule 22 from being burst inadvertently during transit or before the product is purchased. Furthermore, the sleeve 106 may have an indicium 30 for locating the capsule 22, as described previously.

The bottle 4, 104 may be constructed from plastic or glass. However, where the bottle 4, 104 is constructed from plastic, the sleeve 6, 106 itself need not be deformable. Instead, the sleeve 6, 106 may be fitted over the bottle when the bottle is not full (i.e. prior to or during filling) and is thus capable of being deformed itself. This may prevent the sleeve from being removed after the bottle has been filled and thus provide a security measure.

Although the recess 14, 114 has been described as extending around the entire circumference of the bottle 4, 104, it may be interrupted by one or more non-recessed portions. The non-recessed portions may be received in corresponding recesses formed in the sleeve 6, 106 so as to provide a mechanical key between the sleeve 6, 106 and the bottle 4, 104 thus preventing rotating of the sleeve 6, 106 relative to the bottle 4, 104.

Both the inner wall 18, 118 and outer wall 20, 120 have been described as being constructed from a deformable/expandable material, such as polychloroprene (i.e. neoprene) or silicone rubber, however this need not be the case. It may only be required that the inner wall 18, 118 is expandable to allow the sleeve 6, 106 to fit over the adjacent portions of the neck portion 12, 112 and the base portion 16, 116. In contrast, the outer wall 20, 120 may be constructed from a non-expandable or non-deformable material. This may provide a more rigid exterior surface of the sleeve 6, 106 which is easier to grip. Furthermore, the sleeve 6, 106 may contain a plurality of capsules 22. The capsules 22 may be spaced around the circumference of the sleeve 6, 106 to achieve an even cooling effect.

The inner wall 18, 118 and outer wall 20, 120 need not be formed from a single piece of material but could instead be formed from two discrete elements which are joined along two seams. Furthermore, the capsule 22 may be insert moulded into a hollow section moulding to form the sleeve 6, 106. The other reactant may be injected into the hollow cavity post-moulding and heat sealed. Being insert moulded, the capsule 22 can be moulded into a fixed position with the cavity 28 of the sleeve 6, 106.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a bottle 4, 104, it could also be applied to a can or other container.

To avoid unnecessary duplication of effort and repetition of text in the specification, certain features are described in relation to only one or several aspects or embodiments of the invention. However, it is to be understood that, where it is technically possible, features described in relation to any aspect or embodiment of the invention may also be used with any other aspect or embodiment of the invention.

The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.

Claims

1. A drinks container comprising:

a circumferential recess, the recess having a diameter which is smaller than adjacent portions of the container;

a sleeve received in the recess, the sleeve having an inner diameter which is smaller than the adjacent portions of the container and containing the constituents of an endothermic reaction;

wherein the constituents are separated from one another in an unactivated configuration and are combined in an activated configuration thereby causing an endothermic reaction;

wherein the container or sleeve is deformable to allow the sleeve to be received over the adjacent portions when the sleeve is in the unactivated configuration.

2. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the sleeve is less than or approximately equal to the diameter of the recess.

3. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve is constructed from expandable polychloroprene or silicone rubber.

4. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the constituents of the endothermic reaction are ammonium nitrate or urea and water.

5. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the constituents of the endothermic reaction is contained in a burstable capsule.

6. A drinks container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the capsule is located within the sleeve and wherein the sleeve contains the other constituent of the endothermic reaction.

7. A drinks container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the capsule comprises a tab which is attached to the sleeve.

8. A drinks container as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tab is welded into a seam of the sleeve.

9. A drinks container as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tab is attached to the sleeve so as to align the capsule with an indicium on an outer surface of the sleeve.

10. A drinks container as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the sleeve adjacent to the capsule is protected by a removable cover to prevent the capsule from being burst.

11. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is made of plastic.

12. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve is received over the adjacent portions prior to filling the container.

13. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is made of glass.

14. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve fills the recess.

15. A drinks container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recess and an inner surface of the sleeve have complementary curved surfaces.