Wearable, snack or beverage storing and dispensing, and body cooling container
A wearable snack and beverage storing and dispensing and body cooling and heating container, generally configured, in its preferred embodiment in a spiral design, formed tubing, having a central reservoir with spiral tubing integrally extending therefrom, having a filling area at one end, with a dispensing valve at its opposite end. The device is shaped and contains inherent memory to fit directly upon the head of the user. Alternative embodiments include a flapped and fingered wrap that fits upon the head, and other embodiments include spiral tubing that may fit upon the wrist, arm, leg, or other body parts. Various other novelty items and accessories may be applied to the reservoir and its tube shaped member.
This non-provisional patent application claims priority to the provisional patent application having Ser. No. 61/638,484, filed on Apr. 25, 2012.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a wearable item, generally of a spiral design, that may be applied to a body part, whether it be the head, arm, wrist, leg, and other parts, and contain either a snack, beverage, or even a warming agent or coolant that may be applied by the user for either dispensing of a consumable item, or to have an effect upon the temperature of the body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention does relate generally to any effort that involves the use of a pliable plastic container that can be filled with small snack items or even a consumable beverage, and in which the container itself is so designed to be effectively worn either directly upon the head or wrist, or other body part, thereby allowing for hands-free storage of the container when not directly in usage. As identified, ideally, the container will be filled with a semi-frozen slush beverage for body cooling. Obviously, it can also be consumed. Initially, the beverage can be accessed or dispensed and consumed in its current chilled or semi-frozen state, and also as the semi-frozen slush-ice beverage gradually returns to a cold, fluid state. The beverage is accessed and consumed as desired through a supplied delivery opening or dispensing nozzle, operatively associated with generally a spiral, configured tube, and which will provide additional internal cooling, hydration, and refreshment for the user, wearer, and consumer.
As stated, generally, this device will be of a spiral design, unlike anything in the prior art, that will circumvent a part of the body to allow for its wearing, without necessitating further manual participation.
For purposes of developing a further understanding of the preferred applicability of this device, unlike anything in the prior art, a practical example of the user's application would include the act of being able to walk, stand, or do other low kinetic activities, even while the device is being worn.
The practice of carrying a liquid beverage container or snack item on one's person is a most common occurrence. Most snack items or candies can be carried in the pocket, or elsewhere upon the body, or, drinks may be carried within a beverage container, coffee mug, or other type of conveying unit. Backpacks are also commonly used, this day and age, to hold consumable and other items. Unfortunately, all widely popular containers in the form of common plastic snack containers, beverage bottles, lidded cups, canteens, etc., require either hand held conveyance or storage, or the use of other storage means, including items such as, container slings, straps, backpacks as noted, that may be worn on the body when the container is not in use. These items singularly resolve the requirement for storing the container, when not in use, but does not provide for the application of said containers for non-manual application to the body, that can be used for carrying snacks, liquids, or the like, or even have environmental changing conditions, such as conveying a cooling liquid, or warming item, that may be worn by the user without manual participation, until such time as consumption is desired.
The enjoyment and consumption of a wide variety of snacks, candies, chilled or semi-frozen consumables, such as finely ground or shaved slush ice, colored, and flavored non-alcoholic or even alcoholic beverages is widely popular. Various embodiments of confection snacks, candies, and slush ice consumables include those which are prepared and stored in disposable heat sealed plastic packages, which, when one end is torn away, allows for the consumption of the food or beverage item.
Examples of prior patents that show related items, as to what is known in the prior art, can be identified as follows.
Examples of prior patented technology that show containers that may be wearable, can be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,552,734. This is upon a wearable drinking container. U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,811 shows another wearable container. U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,522 shows a wearable storage system for pressurized fluids. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,936 shows another wearable container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention generally relates to a shaped container, usually of a spiral design, that may be wrapped around part of the body, whether it be the arm, wrist, leg, or even spiraled about the head of the wearer, or even around the neck, and which may include a consumable item, whether it be a snack, liquid, or any other type of edible item. Or, as previously reviewed, it may include heating chemicals, that may be applied during cold, inclement weather, to aid in the warmth of the user, or it may include a coolant, or even a consumable slush ice, that may aid in maintaining the cooling of the wearer, as during hot weather conditions.
The invention uniquely leverages each of the aforementioned types of applications into a singular, co-existing unit that allows the user to benefit in a combined fashion from each of its intended uses.
The invention also introduces a new and invigorating approach to snack and beverage marketing, and has the further potential for additional accessory oriented merchandising, as previously explained. The device offers a usable and appealing alternative to the standard hand-held assortment of containers found on the market today.
Also, obviously, the invention can further work as a novelty item, at picnics, fairs, which may catch the attention of the youth, or even the youthful agent, who may like being seen wearing something that is different, a bright coloration, and yet add notoriety to the wearer, under such conditions.
The general objective of this invention is to provide a dual purpose device, one that serves as a storage container for snacks or beverages when effortlessly affixed to a person's head, wrist, or other body part, and that may store a snack or beverage, that can be effortlessly accessed and dispensed for consumption.
It is within the principal object of this device to provide the consumer with an alternative container means to acquire, store, manage, dispense and consume snacks, candies or consumable beverages, offering to the consumer a satisfactory array of sealed, pre-filled and packaged devices, or providing to the consumer a more durable, reusable device allowing the consumer the ability to customize the usage as may be desired. And, it provides the consumer a container, by design, and offers low effort dispensing of stored contents, ranging from snacks, candies, to consumable liquids and semi-frozen consumables.
It is an additional object of this invention, when used with chilled or semi-frozen consumables, to provide two forms of contact body cooling accomplished by the transference of heat through conduction, whereas the invention has the structure and surface area that comes in contact with the exposed head or wrist when affixed, and also the transference of heat through convection and evaporation, when condensation onto the environment exposes surfaces of the device, cool and condensed water from the air, which migrates onto the skin, providing additional surface conduction cooling, but then also through convection as the water then evaporates and additionally removes heat from the body surface.
It is just as likely that the device may include the various chemicals that when intermixed, generate heat, so as to add warmth to the body at the location where the device is applied.
Structural wise, the device generally is formed as a tubular member. It is preformed into a spiral relationship, that has memory to retain it in the spiral configuration, so that it can be wrapped about the arm, wrist, legs, or even spiraled about the upper part of the head, or around the neck, when used for the variety of purposes as identified herein. One end of the tube may have an access opening that may be capped through the use of a cap, plug, cork, or other closure member. It is through this access area where the snacks or consumables, or other chemicals, may be introduced into the spiraling member. Generally, the opposite end of the tube will include some form of a valve, whether it is a spigot, a pressure valve that may be opened when pressure is applied, or may simply have another cap that may be removed to allow for consumption of the internally contained consumable, when used. In addition, it is further envisioned that other decorative members may be applied to the tube, along its length, in order to add to the novelty and design of the configured container, during its usage.
A further objective of the current invention is that the device be preferably so designed to be convenient, easily attachable and detachable, reliable in function and operation, and yet not interfere with the normal basic movements of the user, while walking, standing, sitting or undertaking other low kinetic body movements, with the device requiring no special attention, application or usage, to maintain its stability while being worn.
It is also an object of this invention to permit effortless securing of the device onto the wrist, head, or other body part, so as to be worn through its application as a pliable plastic tube, formed of a combined use of stretchable, memory material that once it is wrapped around a body part, it will flex back into its steady state, to be retained thereon. Thus, the spiral tube when applied will stay affixed by gentle frictional contact and through its spring memory stored energy that is inherent as a natural feature within the composition of the plastic tube, as it is formed.
It is also an additional objective for the configuration of the structured components of this tubular device to preferably be particularly suitable for low assembly, formed of low cost plastic molding and/or heat welding manufacture are being manufactured by other comparable low cost techniques.
It is a further objective of this device, its parts and method of use to be free of risk or injury to the user, and preferably be of a high quality food grade plastic and other materials, which will be safe for the user, and yet which may be configured and produced at sufficiently low cost.
Still another object of this device is that it may be comprised of many combinations. It is easy to then contemplate a number of embodiments to the container design, ranging from singular tubing or a plurality of interconnected compartments, being semi-rigid of form, cleanable, refillable, reusable, formed of a ready-to-use singular use, which may also incorporate disposable features. This provides a satisfactory variation in consumer usage, and consumer desires, as to appearance, coloration, the type of consumable products desired, or for environmental changing attributes, such as use for cooling or heating, as previously described. It is believed that these features will provide for immense marketing and retailing opportunities.
These and other objectives, features and advantages of this invention, and its modifications, will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiments, in view of the drawings.
In referring to the drawings,
In referring to the drawings, and in particular
As a modification to this invention, but yet, in principle, provides the same beneficial results of the embodiment as previously described,
It can also be seen that through the usage of a flexible cord 7, or a plastic like drawstring, such can assist in the shaping and producing of a gentle constrictive pressure as required maintaining retention of the invention when affixed to the user's head, during application.
As can be further seen in
As a result of the teachings of the various embodiments of the invention as provided herein, it should be quite apparent that this invention comprises a multiple novelty item, one that may be worn upon the head, wrist, arm, leg, or other parts of the body, can retain various food items, liquids, or other chemicals, as desired, and can dispense them where they may be of edible form. In addition, other accessories may be applied thereto, as described, in order to add and enhance the novelty appearance of the device, during its usage. These are all examples of the uniqueness of this invention, the variety of its uses, when located upon the body, as noted and explained.
Variations or modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the disclosure as provided herein. Such variations, if within the spirit of this invention, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of any claims to patent protection provided herein. The description of the preferred embodiment, and its depiction in the drawings, are generally set forth for illustrative purposes only.
Claims
1. A wearable device formed having a reservoir segment integrally formed with a spiral tubular segment, wherein a substance provided within the reservoir and tubular segment is capable of consumption, or influencing body temperature, said reservoir segment having an access opening, a closure cap provided for closing of the access opening, after a filling of the device with a substance, a dispenser provided at the other end of said tubular segment, for dispensing of the substance when disposed for discharge, and said tubular segment being coiled, and in combination with its reservoir, capable of being shaped and fitted onto the head of the wearer.
2. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein said spiral tubing having sufficient flexibility to conform to the contours of the wearer's head, and said spiral tubing having sufficient resiliency to provide for its pressure fitting upon the head of the wearer.
3. The dispensing device of claim 2 wherein said closure cap threadily engages onto the reservoir of said device.
4. The dispensing device of claim 2 wherein said closure cap pressure fitting onto the reservoir of said dispensing device.
5. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein said dispensing valve comprises a slit, which when pressed, opens to allow for discharge of contained product, and when released, reorients into closure to prevent the dispensing of its contents.
6. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein said closure valve includes a spray means, which when actuated, can discharge a spray onto the user during application.
7. The dispensing device of claim 1 wherein said closure valve incorporates a spigot, which when opened, allows for discharge of its contained substance, and when closed, preventing the discharge of its contained substance.
8. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein said dispensing device is used for dispensing of candy, wherein said closure valve incorporates an indexing means, that allows for the individual dispensing of candy from the valve end of the spiral tubing.
9. The dispensing device of claim 8 wherein the end of said spiral tubing incorporates a scoop configuration that can retain the individual candies as it is dispensed to the wearer.
10. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein said valve end of the spiral tubing locates in proximity to the mouth of its wearer.
11. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein one of a novelty and accessory item is connected to the reservoir to add to the attractiveness of the said device.
12. The dispensing device of claim 11, wherein the accessory includes a sun visor.
13. The dispensing device of claim 12, wherein the visor clamps onto the spiral tubing of the said device.
14. The dispensing device of claim 12, wherein the accessory includes a C clamp, and said C clamp capable of connecting onto the spiral tubing to hold the accessory item in place.
15. The dispensing device of claim 12, wherein the novelty item connects onto the closure cap of the said reservoir.
16. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir and integral spiral tubing may be moved into a flattened condition, during storage, but said reservoir and spiral tubing may be expanded, upon application to the head of the wearer.
17. A dispensing device for use for holding a substance, said dispensing device including a reservoir, a series of hollow flaps extending radiating from said reservoir, said reservoir and hollow flaps capable of filling with a substance, for application and draping upon the head of the wearer, and said reservoir having an opening through which a substance may be applied, to fill it in preparation for application to the head of the wearer.
18. The dispensing device of claim 18, wherein said closure means includes a cap, which when removed, allows for filling or dispensing of the substance contained within said device, and a cap providing for closure upon said reservoir, to prevent the discharge of any substance contained therein.
19. The dispensing device of claim 18 and including an elastic means interconnecting between the lower ends of the device flaps, to function as a means for retaining of the dispensing device upon the head of the wearer during its application.
20. A dispensing device for holding a substance in the category of one of a liquid, beverage, candy or other substance, said dispensing device comprising a length of spiral tubing, said spiral tubing having a cap at one end, which when removed, allows for filling of the spiral tubing with one of the aforesaid substance, the opposite end of said spiral tubing having a valve integrated therein, which when opened, allows for dispensing of the contained substance, said spiral tubing capable of expanding, to allow for application of the dispensing device to the wrist, arm, and leg of the wearer.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 19, 2013
Publication Date: Oct 31, 2013
Inventor: Patrick J. Voss (Fairview Heights, IL)
Application Number: 13/986,317
International Classification: A42B 1/00 (20060101); A45C 11/00 (20060101);