SINGLE SERVING BEVERAGE CONTAINER USED AS A DRINKING VESSEL

Abstract

A single serving beverage container has a body having a first end, which in the drinking vessel serving position is at the top, and an opposite second end that functions as the base of the container. Accessible from the first end is a closure that can be opened and the second end is closed. The body defines a two-chamber interior cavity of a first predetermined volume for containing a beverage and a second adjacent volume for increasing the total useable container volume after the closure has been opened and for providing a drinking rim optimized to enhance the drinking experience.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority is claimed from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/656,606 filed on Jun. 7, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to the field of beverage containers. More specifically, the disclosure relates to beverage containers having an incremental volume adjacent the beverage storage container that can be used as a drinking vessel.

Many types of beverages, including wine, beer, distilled spirits, coolers, soft drinks and water, are packaged and sold in single serving containers such as glass or plastic bottles or cans. Depending upon the environment in which the beverage is being consumed, and depending upon a consumer's individual preference, the beverage is either poured into a separate drinking vessel or it is consumed directly from the container. Advantageously, consuming the beverage directly from the container avoids the cost and inconvenience of providing separate drinking vessels and eliminates the need to clean and store the drinking vessels after use.

However, existing single serving beverage containers have certain shortcomings when they are used as drinking vessels. Because the location of the drinking rim of conventional containers often serves as the sealing means for containing the beverage or is directly adjacent to the sealing means, the edge design of the drinking rim is compromised and results in an unpleasant experience when the beverage is consumed directly from the container. Also, existing containers provide insufficient incremental volume for adding ice, additional liquids, or other ingredients to the drink. The distance between the top of existing containers and the top of the liquid is small resulting in a high risk of spillage. Existing containers have insufficient volume for effectively allowing the beverage to be exposed to air to enhance the taste and aroma of the beverage and to allow the consumer to get the full olfactory benefits when consuming the beverage. For example, when wine is served in a separate drinking vessel, it is common for the vessel to be filled less than half full versus single serving wine vessels where the beverage often fills over 90% of the container volume. For existing container designs, increasing the volume of the container does not provide an acceptable solution since it increases the amount of air in the fluid containment compartment, resulting in the accelerated spoilage of the beverage and creating the impression that the container includes only a partial serving. For carbonated malt based beverages such as beer, existing containers lack the incremental volume necessary to allow a foam, or “head,” to form, thereby eliminating the opportunity to experience one of pleasurable aspects of beer consumption.

There exists a need for a beverage container having an incremental volume that can be used as a drinking vessel wherein the condition of the beverage may be changed to correspond to the beverage being dispensed into a separate container.

SUMMARY

A beverage container according to one aspect includes a body having a first end, which in the drinking vessel serving position when utilized as a drinking vessel is at the top. An opposite second end functions as the base of the container with the body defining a two-chamber interior cavity of a first predetermined volume for containing a beverage and a second adjacent incremental volume chamber for increasing the total useable drinking vessel volume after a closure has been opened. The closure serves as a barrier element between the first and second volumes to provide a liquid-tight seal when in place and an opening sized to allow free flow of the container's contents between the two adjacent chambers when the closure has been opened. There is a drinking rim or lip on the upper-most open end of the incremental volume chamber.

A method according to another aspect for preparing a beverage for being consumed from a single serving container includes opening a closure elements between a beverage container and an incremental volume chamber, wherein the incremental volume chamber has an opening in a top end and in a bottom end and is affixed to the serving beverage container to create a clinking vessel with a continuous containment volume that is at least 115% of the original beverage volume in the beverage container.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a top view showing a single serving beverage container, in a one-piece design configuration, without a barrier seal.

FIG. 1B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 1A with the beverage containment chamber shown in a sealed condition.

FIG. 1C is a side cross-sectional view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 1A with the beverage containment chamber shown in a sealed condition.

FIG. 2A is a top view showing the single serving beverage container, in multiple-piece design configuration, without the barrier seal.

FIG. 2B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is a side cross-sectional view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a single serving beverage container with a secondary closure element.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing two single serving beverage containers with a stackable configuration.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a single serving beverage container with a protective film removably mounted to a sloped surface.

FIG. 6A is a side cross-sectional view showing a single serving beverage container with a deformable protective film removably mounted to a sloped surface and in a concave position.

FIG. 6B is a side cross-sectional view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 6A, with the protective film removably mounted to a sloped surface and in a convex position.

FIG. 7A is a side view showing a single serving beverage container with the incremental volume chamber installed in the inverted position with the barrier element in place.

FIG. 7B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 7a, with the incremental volume chamber installed in upright position with the barrier element removed.

FIG. 8A is a side view showing a conventional bottle-type single serving beverage container prior to the removal of the threaded cap type closure and prior to the installation of the incremental volume chamber with a threaded attachment.

FIG. 8B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 8A, after the removal of the threaded cap type closure and after the installation of the incremental volume chamber with a threaded attachment.

FIG. 8C is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 8B, with the addition of a temporary closure cap to the incremental volume chamber.

FIG. 9A is a top view showing a conventional can-type single serving beverage container, prior to the installation of the sleeve design incremental volume chamber.

FIG. 9B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 9A prior to the installation of the sleeve design incremental volume chamber.

FIG. 9C is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 9B, after the installation of the sleeve-type incremental volume chamber.

FIG. 9D is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 9B, after the installation of the paper cup type design incremental volume chamber.

FIG. 9E is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 9B, after the installation of the snap-on design incremental volume chamber.

FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C show an example with multiple containment chambers.

FIG. 11 shows various examples of the drinking rim on the incremental volume chamber.

FIG. 12 shows various examples of configuration of the incremental volume chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In one aspect, a beverage container includes a body having a first end, which in the drinking vessel serving position when used as a drinking vessel is at the top, and an opposite second end that functions as the base of the container with the body defining a two-chamber interior cavity of a first predetermined volume for containing a beverage and a second adjacent incremental volume chamber for increasing the total useable drinking vessel volume after the closure has been opened. A closure that serves as a barrier element between the first and second volumes provides a liquid-tight seal when in place and an opening sized to allow free flow of the container's contents between the two adjacent chambers when the closure has been opened; and a drinking rim or lip on the upper-most open end of the incremental volume chamber.

In accordance with another aspect, a beverage container includes a body having a first end, which in the drinking vessel serving position when used as a drinking vessel is at the top, and an opposite second end that functions as the base of the container with the body defining a two-chamber interior cavity of a first predetermined volume for containing a beverage and a second adjacent incremental volume chamber for increasing the total useable drinking vessel volume after the closure has been opened. The closure serves as a barrier element between the first and second volumes to provide a liquid-tight seal when in place and an opening sized to allow free flow of the container's contents between the two adjacent chambers when the closure has been opened. A drinking rim or lip is disposed on the upper-most open end of the incremental volume chamber, wherein the incremental volume chamber is mounted in a reversed orientation with the drinking rim facing downward when the barrier element is in place and using the beverage container as a drinking vessel requires removing the incremental volume chamber and the barrier element and reinstalling the incremental volume chamber, without the seal ,in an upright position with the drinking rim facing upward.

In accordance with another aspect, a beverage container includes a body having a first end, which in the drinking vessel serving position when used as a drinking vessel is at the top, and an opposite second end that functions as the base of the container with the body defining a two-chamber interior cavity of a first predetermined volume for containing a beverage and a second adjacent incremental volume chamber for increasing the total useable drinking vessel volume after the closure has been opened. A closure that serves as a barrier element between the first and second volumes provides a liquid-tight seal when in place and an opening sized to allow free flow of the container's contents between the two adjacent chambers when the closure has been opened. A drinking rim or lip is disposed on the upper-most open end of the incremental volume chamber, wherein a second closure element is provided at the open drinking rim end of the incremental volume chamber thereby creating an independent storage volume between the two closure elements, separate and distinct from the fluid containment volume, and which may then be used to contain secondary ingredients for the beverage or a food item for consumption with the beverage or any other item.

The beverage container may be made from materials ordinarily used for such purpose, including, without limitation, plastic, glass, steel, aluminum and water resistant paper or cardboard. The incremental volume chamber may be made from the same or different material.

Various examples of a beverage container will be explained below.

FIG. 1A is a top view showing a single serving beverage container 60 having a beverage storage container and an incremental volume chamber, which will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1B and 1C. A seal or closure between the chambers is omitted from the view in FIG. 1A for clarity of the illustration.

FIG. 1B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 60 of FIG. 1A with the beverage containment or storage chamber 1 shown in a sealed condition. The incremental volume chamber 2 may be mounted on the top of the beverage storage chamber 1. In the present example, the volume of the incremental volume chamber 2 may be selected so that the total volume of the beverage containment chamber 1 and the incremental volume chamber 2 is at least 115 percent of the volume of the beverage containment chamber 1. The incremental volume chamber 2 may be used as a drinking vessel, and may include a drinking rim or lip (3 in FIG. 1A) of any selected configuration. The configuration of the rim or lip (3 in FIG. 1A) is not a limit on the scope of the disclosure, and various example configurations of the drinking rim or lip (3 in FIG. 1A) will be explained further below with reference to FIG. 11. The configuration of the incremental volume chamber 2 likewise is not a limit on the scope of the present disclosure and various example configurations thereof will be shown in and explained with reference to FIG. 12.

The beverage containment chamber may be sealed, for example, with a seal 4 such as plastic film or metal foil film. The closure or seal 4 may include a pull tab 5 or similar feature to enable the user to remove the seal 4 by pulling on the pull tab 5.

FIG. 1C is a side cross-sectional view showing the single serving beverage container 60 of FIG. 1A with the beverage containment chamber 1 shown in a sealed condition. The closure or seal 4 and pull tab 5 are emphasized in FIG. 1C to show their configuration

FIG. 2A is a top view showing another example single serving beverage container 62 without a barrier seal. The present example may use a threaded collar 6 to connect the beverage containment chamber 1 and the incremental volume chamber 2.

FIG. 2B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container of FIG. 2A. A barrier element 7, such as may be similar in configuration to a canning jar seal may be used to seal the beverage containment chamber 1 and may be removed by unthreading the threaded collar 6 from the beverage containment chamber 1. The threaded collar 6 may then be reattached to the beverage containment chamber 1.

FIG. 2C is a side cross-sectional view showing the single serving beverage container 62 of FIG. 2A to illustrate the relative positions of the beverage containment chamber 1, the barrier 7, the threaded collar 6 and the incremental volume chamber 2 before the container 62 is used.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a single serving beverage container 64 with a secondary closure element (a “cover closure”) 8 on top of the incremental volume chamber 2. The secondary closure element 8 may be removably replaced on top of the incremental volume chamber 2 and thus may allow the contents of single serving beverage container 64 to be agitated to release dissolved gas or to increase exposure of the contents to air prior to consumption of the beverage originally stored in the beverage containment chamber 1. The cover closure 8 may also form a tamper-resistant seal at the drinking rim end. The cover closure may enable the incremental volume chamber 2 to form a separate and distinct sealed volume that may contain material different from that stored in the beverage containment volume. Examples, without limitation, may include food items or beverage components mixable with the beverage stored in the beverage containment volume 1.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing two, single serving beverage containers 64 as explained with reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, in which the dimensions and shapes of the beverage containment chamber 1 and the incremental volume chamber 2 may be selected such that a plurality of such containers 64 may be vertically stacked. In such examples, it may be assumed that the incremental volume chamber 2 is essentially empty prior to use of the beverage container 64.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a single serving beverage container 66 in the shape of a conical drinking vessel, with a seal 12 such as a protective film removably mounted to a sloped surface of the. The protective film 12 may include a pull tab 5 as in the examples shown previously for removal. In the present example, the beverage containment chamber 1 and the incremental volume chamber 2 may form part of the same conical drinking vessel, and are each defined by the seal 12 prior to its removal. The present example container 66 may include a stem 10 at the bottom of the conical drinking vessel at one end, and the stem 10 may be coupled at its other end to a flat base 11 for holding the container 66 upright on a flat, level surface (not shown).

FIG. 6A is a side cross-sectional view showing an example single serving beverage container 66 in the shape of a conical drinking vessel with a deformable protective film 13 removably mounted to a sloped surface and in a concave configuration. The protective film 13 may include a pull tab 5 for removal thereof just as in the previous examples.

FIG. 6B is a side cross-sectional view showing the single serving beverage container 66 of FIG. 6A, with the protective film 14 removably mounted to a sloped surface and in a convex configuration. The protective film 14 (closure) in FIGS. 6A and 6B may be free to deform from a first position to a second position to accommodate the expansion of the beverage containment volume's contents before the protective film 14 is removed. The examples in FIGS. 6B and 6C may also include a stem 10 and base 11 as explained with reference to FIG. 5.

FIG. 7A is a side view showing a single serving beverage container 68 with an incremental volume chamber 2 installed in an inverted position on the beverage containment chamber 1 prior to assembly for use, with a barrier element 7 in place. The example of FIG. 7A may save space during shipment.

FIG. 7B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 68 of FIG. 7A, with the incremental volume chamber installed in upright position and with the barrier element 7 removed. The incremental volume chamber 2 may be assembled to the beverage containment chamber 1 using any device known in the art, including, without limitation, a threaded collar 17 and sealed, frictionally bound assembly 18.

FIG. 8A is a side view showing a conventional bottle-type single serving beverage container 70, including a bottle type beverage containment volume 19 prior to the removal of a threaded cap type closure 20 as is conventional for such bottle beverage containers, and prior to the installation of the incremental volume chamber (not shown in FIG. 8A) with a threaded attachment.

FIG. 8B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 70 of FIG. 8A, after the removal of the threaded cap type bottle closure (20 in FIG. 8A) and after the installation of the incremental volume chamber 22 with a threaded attachment 21.

FIG. 8C is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 70 of FIG. 8B, with the addition of a temporary closure cap 22 to the incremental volume chamber 22.

FIG. 9A is a top view showing a conventional can-type single serving beverage container prior 70 to the installation of a sleeve-type incremental volume chamber (FIG. 9C). The sleeve (22 in FIG. 9C) may be engaged to the beverage containment volume (23 in FIG. 9B) for example by friction fit, and may include an alignment indicator (26 in FIG. 9C) for the pull tab of the beverage can.

FIG. 9B is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 70 of FIG. 9A prior to the installation of the sleeve-type incremental volume chamber 22.

FIG. 9C is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 70 of FIG. 9B, after the installation of the sleeve-type incremental volume chamber 22.

FIG. 9D is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 70 of FIG. 9B, after the installation of a paper cup-type design incremental volume chamber 30, which may include an internally rolled rim 29 at a bottom end thereof, and an externally rolled rim 28 at a top end thereof.

FIG. 9E is a side view showing the single serving beverage container 70 of FIG. 9B, after the installation of a snap-on configuration incremental volume chamber 31. The incremental volume chamber may include a snap fit retention ridge 32 or groove for attachment to the beverage containment chamber 23.

The examples described above may provide that the incremental volume chamber is made from metal (e.g., aluminum), plastic, water resistant paper or cardboard or any other material suitable for dispensing a beverage without materially altering its chemical composition or mechanical properties within a relatively limited time (e.g., the expected consumption time of the single serving beverage).

FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C show an example 72 with multiple beverage containment chambers 1, 1A. The example of FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C may be used, for example, where two beverage components are to be kept separated until consumption. Examples may include carbonated and/or alcoholic beverages whose components are ordinarily kept separate until the time of consumption.

FIG. 11 shows various examples of the drinking rim (3 in FIG. 1a) at 40 through 48 on the incremental volume chamber (2 in FIG. 1b) to illustrate that the drinking rim configuration does not limit the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 12 shows, at 50 through 56 various examples of configuration of the incremental volume chamber (2 in FIG. 1b) to show that the incremental volume chamber configuration does not limit the scope of the disclosure.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.

Claims

1. A beverage container, comprising:

a body having a first end, which in a drinking vessel serving position is disposed at a top of the container;

a second end opposite the first end, the second end forming a base of the container with the body defining a two-chamber interior, a first chamber of which has a predetermined volume for containing a beverage and a second chamber adjacent thereto defining an incremental volume chamber for increasing the total useable drinking vessel volume after a closure between the first and second chambers has been opened;

wherein the closure forms a liquid-tight seal between the first and second chambers when in place and has a removable opening enabling free flow of the container's contents between the two adjacent chambers when the closure has been opened; and

a drinking rim or lip on an uppermost end of the incremental volume chamber.

2. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the second chamber is at least 15% of a volume of the first chamber

3. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the first and second chambers are made as a single piece.

4. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the first and second chambers are made from two or more pieces.

5. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure element comprises a protective film.

6. A beverage container according to claim 5, wherein the protective film is one of a metal foil film and a plastic film.

7. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure is removably mounted to a substantially planar rim.

8. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure is removably mounted to a sloped surface.

9. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure is free to deform from a first position to a second position to accommodate the expansion of the container's contents before the closure is removed.

10. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a cap that is mechanically and removably attached to a mating element on the body.

11. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure is a plug that is removably compressed into the opening between the first and second chambers.

12. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a canning jar type plate seal that is removably held in place with a threaded collar and mating element on an end of the first chamber.

13. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a pull tab for removal thereof.

14. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the second chamber is mounted in a reversed orientation with the drinking rim facing toward the first chamber when the closure is in place and wherein the second chamber and the closure are removable, and wherein the second chamber is reinstallable on the first chamber with the closure removed in an with the drinking rim oriented away from the first chamber.

15. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein a cover closure is provided at the open drinking rim end of the second chamber thereby creating an independent storage volume between the closure and the cover closure separate and distinct from the first chamber, wherein the independent storage volume is usable to contain a material separate from a material disposed in the first chamber.

16. A beverage container according to claim 15, wherein the cover closure forms a tamper-resistant seal at the drinking rim end of the second chamber.

17. A beverage container according to claim 1, wherein the size and shape of the first chamber is selected to fit within the top open end of the second chamber enabling vertical stacking of a plurality of containers.

18. The beverage container of claim 1 wherein the second chamber comprises an incremental volume chamber having an opening in a top end and a bottom end and comprising an attachments means, wherein the second chamber can be attached to an independent and separate single serving beverage container to create a clinking vessel with a continuous containment volume that is at least 115% of the volume of the separate single serving beverage container.

19. A beverage container according to claim 18, wherein the attachment means comprises a sleeve made of compressible material that is frictionally held in place on the single serving beverage container, the single serving beverage container being substantially cylindrically shaped.

20. A beverage container according to claim 18, wherein the attachment means comprises a threaded connection configured to mate with an existing threaded connection on the single serving beverage container.

21. A beverage container according to claim 18, wherein the attachment means comprises a cylinder made of a flexible material and having a channel configured to mate with a top cylindrical rim of a beverage can.

22. A beverage container according to claim 18, wherein the attachment means comprises a compressible rim on a bottom of the incremental volume chamber.

23. A beverage container according to claim 18, wherein the incremental volume chamber has a circumferential marking to align with a non-symmetrical orientation of an opening on a beverage can.

24. A beverage container according to claim 18, wherein the opening in the top end further comprises a removable closure.

25. A method of preparing a beverage for being consumed from a single serving beverage container, comprising:

opening a closure element between the single serving beverage container and an incremental volume chamber, wherein the incremental volume chamber has an opening in a top end and in a bottom end and is affixed to the serving beverage container to create a clinking vessel with a total volume that is at least 115% of a volume of the the songle serving beverage container.