System for Maintaining Beverage Temperature

Abstract

A system for maintaining a beverage temperature is disclosed herein. Specifically, a beverage container holder is disclosed. Such beverage container holder can comprise an inner layer that is substantially cylindrical, said inner layer having a substantially cylindrical aperture about its axis, such that said inner layer has an inner radius and an outer radius. Additionally, such beverage container holder can comprise a temperature retention material layer that at least partially surrounds said inner layer. Further, said beverage container holder can comprise an insulation layer that is substantially cylindrical and surrounds said temperature retention material. In one embodiment, said beverage container holder can further comprise an outer layer that is substantially cylindrical and surrounds said temperature said temperature retention material layer.

Description

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to a system for maintaining beverage temperature.

During summer, many people prefer drinking ice-cold beverages. However, as a drink sits, it quickly reverts to ambient temperature. Additionally, as a person touches the beverage container (such as a can), heat from the person transfers to the liquid. To prevent quick temperature change, people put ice in drinks, however, as the ice melts, the drink becomes diluted. Another solution people employ is putting drinks in foam insulators; however, such insulators only marginally slow the temperature change.

As such it would be useful to have an improved system and method for maintaining beverage temperature.

SUMMARY

A system for maintaining a beverage temperature is disclosed herein. Specifically, a beverage container holder is disclosed. Such beverage container holder can comprise an inner layer that is substantially cylindrical, the inner layer having a substantially cylindrical aperture about its axis, such that the inner layer has an inner radius and an outer radius. Additionally, such beverage container holder can comprise a temperature retention material layer that at least partially surrounds the inner layer. Further, the beverage container holder can comprise an insulation layer that is substantially cylindrical and surrounds the temperature retention material. In one embodiment, the beverage container holder can further comprise an outer layer that is substantially cylindrical and surrounds the temperature retention material layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a beverage container holder.

FIG. 2 illustrates a component perspective view, disclosing the different layers of one embodiment of beverage container holder.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment wherein beverage container holder that is capable of being opened.

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a temperature maintenance layer and an insulation layer.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of beverage container holder wherein beverage container holder comprises a hinge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein is a system and method for maintaining beverage temperature. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers' specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates a beverage container holder 100. In one embodiment, beverage container holder 100 can comprise a top opening 101 that gives access to a beverage container area 102. In one embodiment, beverage container area 102 can be substantially in the shape of a beverage container 103. Beverage container 103 can be, but is not limited to, a can or a bottle. Beverage container 103 can be placed at least partially within beverage container area 102.

FIG. 2 illustrates a component perspective view, disclosing the different layers of one embodiment of beverage container holder 100. Beverage container holder 100 can comprise an inner layer 201. In one embodiment, inner layer 201 can wrap around beverage container 103. In addition, inner layer 201 can comprise material that can maintain flexibility over a range of temperature such as polychloroprene. In one embodiment, inner layer 201 can be relatively thinner and/or a conductive in order to allow temperature transfer between beverage container 103 and a beverage temperature maintenance layer 202. Beverage temperature maintenance layer 202 can encircle and can be thicker than inner layer 201. Beverage temperature maintenance layer 202 can comprise a temperature retention material 203. In one embodiment, beverage temperature maintenance layer is constructed essentially of temperature retention material 203. In another embodiment, temperature retention material 203 can be removable from beverage temperature maintenance layer. In another embodiment, temperature maintenance layer 202 can be removable. Temperature maintenance layer can be made of a material such as plastic. For the purpose of this disclosure, temperature retention material 203 can include, but is not limited to water, salt water, or a gel such as silica. Beverage container area 102 can further comprise an insulation layer 204. Insulation layer 204 can enclose beverage temperature maintenance layer 202 and inner layer 201. Insulation layer 204 can include insulator materials to resist flow of temperature between beverage container 103 and to prevent temperature change. Examples of an insulator material can be but not limited to cotton wool, styrofoam, rubber, polychloroprene, and/or plastic. In one embodiment, beverage container holder 100 can also comprise an outer layer 205. Outer layer 205 can be a continuation of inner layer 201 enclosing substantially around beverage temperature maintenance layer 202 and insulation layer 204. In another embodiment, outer layer 205 can also be a separate outer segment that encloses layers 202, and 204. In another embodiment, layers 201 and 205 can connect together to form one continuous material. In another embodiment, layers 201 and 205 can connect together to form one continuous material. All or a portion of outer layer 205 can comprise a non-slip material. In one embodiment, outer layer can comprise an elastic material to help device slip around beverage container.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment wherein beverage container holder 100 that is capable of being opened. Such embodiment can be necessary for beverage containers 103 having unique shapes, such as a bottle. In one embodiment, beverage container holder 100 can comprise one or more fasteners 301. An example of fastener 301 can be a zipper, a hook-and-loop fastener, or a button. Fastener 301 can use materials such as steel, zinc, aluminum, brass, nickel-silver alloy, nylon, and/or plastic hardware. In one embodiment, a bottle 302 can be trapped inside beverage container area 102 by opening fasteners, placing said beverage container in beverage container area 102, and closing fasteners 301. In one embodiment, opening fasteners 301 can completely separate one side of beverage container holder 100 from itself. In such embodiment, beverage container holder 100 can be flattened, folded and/or collapsed easily for packaging. By collapsing and/or folding beverage container holder 100, beverage container holder 100 can be easily packaged and sold individually or in packages comprising a plurality of beverage holders 100.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of temperature maintenance layer 202 and insulation layer 204. In such embodiment, temperature maintenance layer 202 comprises a plurality of temperature retention material pockets 401 placed discretely around inner layer 201. In one embodiment, temperature retention material pockets 401 can be vertical strips, as shown in FIG. 4. Each temperature retention material pocket 401 can comprise one or more temperature retention materials 202. Insulation layer 203 can substantially surround the temperature retention pockets 401, and, in one embodiment further comprise a range of cut creases 402 from the outside edge of insulation layer 204 to assist in folding. Temperature maintenance layer 202 can comprise an elastic material to help the device stretch around a beverage container 103.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of beverage container holder 100 wherein beverage container holder 100 comprises a hinge 501. In one embodiment, hinge 501 can comprise a portion of outer layer 205. In another embodiment, hinge 501 can comprise an elastic material.

Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as having separate features. Similarly, one or more of the described features may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the device is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.”

Claims

1. A beverage container holder comprising

An inner layer that is substantially cylindrical, said inner layer having a substantially cylindrical aperture about its axis, such that said inner layer has an inner radius and an outer radius;

A temperature retention material layer that at least partially surrounds said inner layer; and

An insulation layer that is substantially cylindrical and surrounds said temperature retention material.

2. The beverage container holder of claim 1 further comprising an outer layer that is substantially cylindrical and surrounds said temperature said temperature retention material layer.

3. The beverage container holder of claim 2 wherein said outer layer and said insulation layer are the same layer.

4. The beverage container holder of claim 1 wherein said temperature retention material layer comprises a temperature retention material.

5. The beverage container holder of claim 4 wherein said temperature retention material comprises a gel.

6. The beverage container holder of claim 5 wherein said gel is silica gel.

7. The beverage container holder of claim 1 wherein said temperature retention material layer comprises water.

8. The beverage container holder of claim 1 wherein said temperature retention material layer comprises a plurality of discrete positions.

9. The beverage container holder of claim 1 wherein each of said layers comprises a similarly positioned cut, wherein said cut extends from a top portion of said layers, downward, further wherein said cut comprises a left side and a right side, and wherein each side left side comprises a first fastener and said right side comprises a second fastener, further wherein said first fastener is compatible with said second fastener.

10. The beverage container holder of claim 9 wherein said first fastener and said second fastener is a zipper.

11. The beverage container holder of claim 9 wherein said first fastener and said second fastener is a hook and loop system.

12. The beverage container holder of claim 9 wherein said first fastener and said second fastener is a button.

13. The beverage container holder of claim 9 further comprising a vertical hinge extending downward from said top port of to a bottom portion.

14. The beverage container holder of claim 9 wherein said hinge comprises said outer layer.