FREEZING GLASS

Abstract

Drinking glass, wherein the drinking glass includes double walls with a space between an inner part (3) and an outer part (2) of the drinking glass, wherein the space is filled with a cooling fluid. The cooling fluid includes, for example, distilled water with 5-15 vol. % alcohol. The drinking glass (1) is provided with a local weakening (4), for example a plug (5) in an opening.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a drinking glass, for example a beer glass, wine glass or a glass for soft drinks, or a similar container for beverages, such as a cooler for a bottle with a beverage such as wine.

PRIOR ART

Double walled drinking glasses are known in the prior art, wherein the double wall provides insulation for a beverage in a drinking glass. The application of double walled glasses is often for hot beverages. Often these drinking glasses are made of plastic material, with a fluid comprising glycerine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide a drinking glass in which a drink can be cooled to approximately 0 to 2 degrees and can be kept cool effectively for a longer time.

According to the present invention, a drinking glass according to the preamble defined above is provided, wherein the drinking glass comprises double walls with a space between an inner part and an outer part of the drinking glass, wherein the space is filled with a cooling fluid. By using a cooling fluid in the space within the double walled glass, a cooling effect for the drink in the drinking glass is reached over a longer period of time.

In an embodiment, the space in a middle part of the drinking glass is wider than the space at a bottom side of the drinking glass. This allows for a greater cooling effect on a part of the drinking glass, for example, where the drinking glass is normally held. The effect of a (warm) hand on the drink is thereby reduced.

In a further embodiment, the cooling fluid comprises distilled water with 5-15 vol. % alcohol (for example, 9 vol. % alcohol). Tests have shown that with this mixture a cooling effect is achieved for at least half an hour under normal (or even summer) circumstances of use of the drinking glass. A further advantage is that this cooling fluid is transparent when it is frozen (at least aesthetically beautifully frozen), so that the drinking glass as a whole remains transparent. Alternatively, the cooling fluid may comprise sugar, carbonic acid, glycol, glycerine, or a mixture thereof. The glass is transparent in a neutral condition. It seems as if there is no fluid in it, thus making the glass so special.

In yet a further embodiment, the space between the inner part and the outer part of the drinking glass is partially filled with cooling fluid, for example, up to a maximum of 90% or a maximum of 85% of the volume of the space. As a result it is possible that during cooling the cooling fluid expands without any problems (e.g, breaking of the material of the drinking glass).

With a drinking glass according to the present invention it is even possible to cool a lukewarm drink by pouring it in a cooled drinking glass (with the frozen cooling fluid). In this way the drink can be consumed almost immediately. By way of example, beer in such a drinking glass is cooled to 0 degrees within 3 minutes, already after 2 minutes sufficient cooling is achieved for consumption.

In a further group of embodiments, the drinking glass is provided with a local weakening. The local weakening is for example formed by an opening which is closed with a plug in the drinking glass. When the pressure in the drinking glass increases for some reason, this feature effectively prevents breaking or even an explosion of the drinking glass, because the local weakening will break first so that the pressure is relieved. In one embodiment the local weakening is provided at the bottom side of the outer part of the drinking glass.

In a specific embodiment, the plug is a sticker made of plastic, which by clamping or adhesion keeps the opening in the drinking glass closed. This form of the plug is simple to manufacture and to apply. In a further embodiment, the plug is implemented as an overpressure valve. As a result the glass is protected against breakage, but not all cooling fluid will leak from the glass, the glass is thus safe by preventing overpressure, but it is again useable thereafter.

In a further embodiment, the plug is provided with a conductive pattern. The conductive pattern is for example arranged for the weakening of the plug under the influence of microwave radiation. So even if someone would want to use a drinking glass in a microwave oven, there will be no danger of an explosion of the glass.

In yet a further embodiment, the glass is made of boron silicate. This has the advantage that the drinking glass is strong and little chance exists of breaking the drinking glass. Also types of glass with a high breaking strength, for example glass with additives such as boron silicate, can be used with a similar advantage.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in further detail hereinafter based on a number of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a drinking glass according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of a bottom part of a drinking glass according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of a bottom part of a drinking glass according to yet a further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an embodiment of a plug which can be applied in a drinking glass according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a drinking glass 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The shown drinking glass is in the form of a beer glass, but any other known shape of a drinking glass can be the basis for one of the embodiments of the present invention.

The drinking glass 1 is of a double walled type, wherein the drinking glass has an outer part 2 and an inner part 3. A space is present between the inner part 3 and the outer part 2 of the drinking glass 1, wherein the space is filled with a cooling fluid.

In FIG. 1 the dimensions of the drinking glass 1 are shown, wherein w1 is the outer diameter on the widest part of the drinking glass 1, w2 the inner diameter of the drinking opening, b1 the inner diameter at the bottom side of the drinking glass 1, b2 the outer diameter at the bottom side of the drinking glass 1, hl the height of the drinking glass 1, h2 the height of the space between the outer part 2 and inner part 3 at the bottom side of the drinking glass 1.

In an embodiment, the cooling fluid is distilled water with 5-15 vol. % alcohol, for example 9 vol % alcohol. This embodiment of the double walled glass 1 filled with a mixture of water and alcohol can be placed in a freezer without the risk of breaking.

With the use of such a drinking glass 1, a beverage such as beer can be kept at 0 degrees in the most diverse of environmental conditions for half an hour, such as summer temperatures.

A further advantage is that this cooling fluid is transparent when it is frozen, as a result of which the drinking glass 1 as a whole remains transparent.

As an alternative to the cooling fluid, in a further embodiment the drinking glass 1 comprises a viscous fluid, for example a cooling fluid comprising glycol, glycerin, or a mixture thereof.

In a further embodiment, the drinking glass 1 is made of borosilicate glass. The wall thickness of the inner part 3 and outer part 2 is for example at least 1 mm. Borosilicate glass has the advantage that it is strong, and that it provides a much higher sense of quality to the drinking glass 1 not found with other materials, such as plastic. The borosilicate material makes it possible that the drinking glass 1 remains intact in a temperature range of −30 . . . 100° C.

The outer part 2 and inner part 3 are connected to each other at the upper side of the drinking glass 1. As a result the edge of the drinking glass 1 is reinforced, so that the drinking glass 1 can be cooled a lying position in a freezer. It is not necessary for the drinking glass 1 to stand during cooling.

The degree of cooling capacity is, among other things, dependent on the amount of cooling fluid which is present in the space between the outer part 2 and the inner part 3. In FIG. 1, with d1 and d2 the widths of the space are shown (in a cross sectional plane of the drinking glass 1), wherein d1 is the width of a central part of the drinking glass 1 and d2 is the width at the bottom side of the drinking glass 1. In one embodiment, the widths d1 and d2 are equal, and for example 2.5 mm This allows for a glass as narrow as possible, while it still remains possible to cool a drink in the drinking glass 1. In a further embodiment, the width of an internal space of the drinking glass 1 is at least 2 mm, for example at least 2.5 mm, for example at least 3 mm

In a further embodiment, the width (d1) of the space in a central part of the drinking glass 1 is larger than the width (d2) at a bottom side of the drinking glass 1. For example, d1=3 mm; d2=2.5 mm or d1=3.5 mm; d2=3 mm. This has the effect that a longer cooling ability remains in the part of the glass where more cooling fluid is present. This is particularly advantageous for a part of the drinking glass 1 which is held by the hand, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 such as the middle part of a beer glass.

Also shown in FIG. 1 is the space for the cooling fluid with height h1. In an embodiment, the internal space h1 at the bottom side is for example at least 10 mm, for example 12 mm.

In an embodiment, the inner space of the drinking glass 1 (the space between the inner part 3 and the outer part 2 of the drinking glass 1) is not completely filled with cooling fluid, but only partially. This makes it possible that air which remains present (or another compressible medium) in the inner space of the drinking glass 1 offers space for a possible volume expansion of the cooling fluid. Because the cooling fluid may expand during cooling within a specific temperature range (during freezing of the cooling fluid, for example the described combination of distilled water with alcohol). As an example, a maximum of 90% of the volume of the inner space of the drinking glass 1 is filled with cooling fluid. The makes it possible that during cooling (and freezing) the cooling fluid expands without problems (e.g. breaking of the drinking glass material). In a further example, a maximum of 85% of the volume of the inner space is filled with cooling fluid.

If a drinking glass 1 is considered of which the inner space is also present at the bottom side (with height h2), then it is possible to place the drinking glass 1 with this side up in a freezer. Expansion of the cooling fluid is then possible in the bottom part with height h2, and the thin internal space at the sides (with thicknesses d1, d2, see FIG. 1) remains completely filled with frozen cooling fluid, so that a beautiful image of the frozen drinking glass 1 remains.

A further aspect of the double walled drinking glass 1 according to the present invention is safety in use. For whatever reason, the drinking glass 1 could be subjected to heat, for example in a dish washer or microwave oven. In extreme conditions this could lead to an explosion of the glass, because of the cooling fluid expands more with increasing temperatures than the glass material of the drinking glass 1.

To prevent this, in an embodiment the drinking glass 1 is provided with a local weakening 4. In FIG. 1 this local weakening 4 is shown (for example locally thinner glass material) in the bottom side of the outer part 2 of the drinking glass 1. The local weakening 4 can embodied in a number of ways, ensuring that, if the pressure in the space between the outer part 2 and the inner part 3 exceeds a specific threshold, then the local weakening 4 breaks. As a result the pressure is relieved and the drinking glass 1 remains largely intact, so that no danger arises to the environment.

In a specific embodiment the local weakening 4 is formed by an opening which is closed by a plug 5. The opening is for example attached to the bottom side of the drinking glass 1, as shown in the partial cross sectional view of FIG. 2. The plug 5 comprises for example a disc of plastic material with a bulge 6 which sits in an opening in the drinking glass 1. The opening has a diameter s1, for example 3 mm, and the plug 5 has a diameter s2 of for example 15 mm.

The plug 5 can be embodied such that under normal circumstances the form of the plug 5 (particularly bulge 6) keeps the plug 5 in the opening of the drinking glass 1. If the pressure becomes too high, then the plug 5 will pop out, effectively preventing breaking or explosion of the drinking glass 1.

As an alternative, the dimensions of the plug 5 can be selected such that it can be adhesively applied to the bottom side of the drinking glass 1. This is for example possible by selecting the diameter s2 of the disc to be substantially larger than the diameter s1 of the opening. Then sufficient surface area is present for a prolonged connection of the plug 5 with the drinking glass 1, while still offering overpressure protection.

In a specific embodiment, the local weakening 4 is embodied as a plug 5 in the form of a sticker made of plastic.

The bottom side of the outer part 2 of the drinking glass 1 may be curved, so that the local weakening 4 lies freely in the space. This may for example effectively prevent damage to the local weakening 4.

As an additional security measure against possible explosion or puncturing of the drinking glass 1 when the drinking glass 1 is accidentally placed in, for example, a microwave oven, in a further embodiment the plug 5 is provided with a conductive pattern 7, as shown in the partial cross sectional view of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the plug 5, in which a conductive pattern 7 on a disc (in the form of a sticker) is visible. In an embodiment, the conductive pattern 7 is arranged to weaken the plug 5 (particularly the disc of the plug 5) under influence of microwave radiation. The conductive pattern 7 will then spark after only a few seconds in the microwave oven and burn holes in the disc of plug 5, so that in overpressure condition the damaged plug 5 pops out of the opening of the drinking glass 1.

In yet another variant, the plug 5 is embodied as an overpressure vent, or overpressure valve. The plug 5 will release an overpressure without the plug 5 ejecting from the drinking glass 1. As a result the glass 1 still remains useable after having been exposed to extreme conditions, which improves the perception of costumer friendliness. This has even more advantages because alcohol already steams at 70-80 degrees and this heat is readily achieved in a dish washer at its highest setting.

The present invention has been described above on the basis of a number of embodiments with reference to the drawings. It will be clear that for different elements (functional) alternatives exist, and that further exemplary embodiments are possible. All of these variations and modifications are considered to fall within the scope of protection, which is defined by the appended claims. For example, the present invention can also be implemented with a similar container for beverages, such as a cooler for a bottle with a beverage such as wine, wherein the cooler is then also provided with an outer part 2 and inner part 3 and the elements of the various embodiments of the drinking glass. In all embodiments such a drinking glass or container is provided, which by means of the different properties is particularly consumer friendly, but also ecologically accountable.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A drinking glass, wherein the drinking glass comprises double walls with a space between an inner part and an outer part of the drinking glass, wherein the space is filled with a cooling fluid.

15. The drinking glass of claim 14, wherein the space in a middle part of the drinking glass is wider than the space at a bottom side of the drinking glass.

16. The drinking glass of claim 14, wherein the cooling fluid comprises distilled water with 5-15 vol. % alcohol.

17. The drinking glass of claim 14, wherein the space between the inner part and the outer part of the drinking glass is partly filled with cooling fluid.

18. The drinking glass of claim 14, wherein the cooling fluid comprises glycol, glycerin, or a mixture thereof.

19. The drinking glass of claim 14, wherein the drinking glass is provided with a local weakening.

20. The drinking glass of claim 19, wherein the local weakening is formed by an opening which is closed by a plug.

21. The drinking glass of claim 19, wherein the local weakening is provided in the bottom side of the outer part of the drinking glass.

22. The drinking glass of claim 20, wherein the plug is a sticker made of plastic.

23. The drinking glass of claim 20, wherein the plug is provided with a conductive pattern.

24. The drinking glass of claim 23, wherein the conductive pattern is arranged to weaken the plug under the influence of microwave radiation.

25. The drinking glass of claim 20, wherein the plug comprises an overpressure valve.

26. The drinking glass of claim 14, wherein the drinking glass is made of boron silicate.