SLEEVE DEVICE FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINERS
The present invention is a sleeve device for beverage containers. It can be transparent or decorative and made of any suitable material such as plastic or metal. The current prototypes are made of transparent PET plastic. The sleeve is applied from the top of the beverage can. It adheres snugly and stably to the surface of the beverage can and can easily be applied and removed as desired. It has an opening at each end and is essentially cylindrical in shape while fitting the contours of the beverage can. The top end is flush with the top of the beverage can. The bottom end is flush right at or slightly below the bottom of the label of the beverage can. Although variable, the wall thickness is generally no more than 0.5 mm. This construction is essential to ensure that the general appearance of the beverage can is maintained. The sleeve can serve multiple functions. If the correct insulating material is used in the sleeve's construction, it can keep itself and its contents cool. If artwork is applied into, onto, or under the sleeve, it can make the beverage can appear as an art piece or made as if from another beverage can label. Research in this area is ongoing. For now, the sleeve has the proven quality of protecting, duplicating, resembling, enhancing and/or concealing the exterior surface of beverage-cans.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61930969, filed 2014 Jan. 24 by the present inventor.
Introduction
I, Eloy Gonzalez II, have invented, privately and not under government contract, a sleeve device which can be constructed in many different ways and from many different materials, is simple in design, hollow in the center, open from either end, and can accommodate, by entirely covering and completely surrounding, in a circumferential manner, a beverage container, such as, but not limited to, any size of beverage can or bottle, either open or closed, without impeding in any way the normal function and use of said beverage container and/or the manner in which the beverage contained within it is consumed. It can be the color of the material it is made from, whether transparent or opaque, or be made, for example, with any color or hue imaginable, or with no color at all, and can optionally have any kind of image grafted onto its exterior or interior surface, or infused into the very material it is constructed from. The device should maintain the actual shape and general dimensions of the beverage container it envelops as closely as possible to minimally or maximally create the appearance that there is no sleeve device over said beverage container. Said sleeve device should also maintain complete functionality, stability, and ease of removal during use. The top of the sleeve device should be flush with the top of the beverage container and the bottom should be right at or slightly below the bottom edge of the beverage can label. This is so that the sleeve device can maintain the realistic appearance of a genuine beverage can. Preference in this patent application is given to 12 and 16 ounce beverage cans, but is not limited to them.
References to “the sleeve device” and “the present invention” all refer to the same thing; namely, the invention described in this patent application. Millimeter is abbreviated as “mm”.
The overall structural design of the optional labeling on the sleeve device need not be confined to those products that are in the current general marketplace (such as, for example, listed in alphabetical order, “BIG RED”, “COKE”, “DR. PEPPER”, “MOUNTAIN DEW”, “PEPSI” or “7-UP”) and can be any design, past, present, or future, that is reminiscent of, completely fabricated from, or inspired by, a commercial or non-commercial beverage container, thus providing the option of making the actual and optional brand name and label on the sleeve device fictional in nature and without necessarily having origin in the marketplace.
The optional labeling or printed design could be purely aesthetic in nature and solely for the purpose of providing a more eye-pleasing, artistic, and/or tasteful outward appearance to the sleeve device. If so desired, the sleeve device could be transparent, with the material it is constructed from, bearing any color or hue imaginable. Or, the sleeve device could be minimally or maximally reflective, have the capacity to glow through application of any suitable luminescence or bioluminescence technology, be one solid color, a multitude of colors, or without any color at all, and/or be minimally or maximally transparent in order to provide the operator(s) of said sleeve device the option of personally applying on, under, and/or into its surface whatever color, words, designs, and/or drawings are preferred by said operator(s). If technology were to become sufficiently advanced in the future, means for moving images could also be grafted onto and/or into the exterior and/or interior surface of the material of said sleeve device.
The material used in the construction of the sleeve device could be one that uses some past, present, or future cloaking technology which could both possess and impart a minimal or maximal invisibility quality to the sleeve device that would further aide it to modify the external appearance of beverage containers.
The sleeve device could be made from a flexible material (of which many exist, such as spandex, rubber, or latex, etc., etc.) or, it can be constructed out of one or more rigid and durable substances (such as aluminum or an alloy or metal composite) and/or plastic (such as PET [polyethylene terephthalate], teflon, polyethylene, PLA [polylactic acid], or ABS [acrylonitrile butadiene styrene]) or a plastic hybrid material, and/or some other suitable future material that currently does not exist but can be used advantageously to construct the present invention.
Said optional aforementioned beverage container label and/or printed design may appear grafted to the exterior of the sleeve device (as is expected to be consistent with the design of most, if not all, beverage containers in current use) so that when said sleeve device is slid over said beverage container, there will be provided, at least approximate, at most exact, the appearance of said commercial beverage container having virtually the same dimensions, color, texture, likeness, reflective and/or matte or glossy surface, but optionally bearing an entirely different design, label, and identity from that of said commercial beverage container underneath.
In short, said sleeve device has, for example, the means to: minimally or maximally mimic, duplicate, resemble, enhance and/or conceal the exterior design of any one of several beverage containers, most preferably beverage-cans (whether or not they are full or empty); act as a recycling device for said commercial beverage containers; assist in beverage taste-testing trials; function as a toy, novelty item, or item of individual and/or group expression, where colors, words, designs, and/or drawings can be applied on, under, and/or into the surface of said sleeve device by any means and by any one of many individual(s) and/or group(s); act as an insulating and/or protective device—a “Koozie” or “Coozie”—for the purpose of maintaining the high or low temperatures of beverage containers and their respective beverages; act as a concealment device by using, for example, a camouflage print in lieu of a beverage label; act as a transparent and colorless protective shield against damage to the surface of the beverage container; enhance the appearance of beverage containers by using any artistic print of any design to make a beverage container look like an art piece; provide all the services herein described in this patent application ideally without impeding the normal function of the beverage container being minimally or maximally mimicked, duplicated, resembled, enhanced and/or concealed by said sleeve device; and act as a promotional device for any one or many private or public residential and/or business entities that would be interested in unique versions of the sleeve device where a custom-made label is incorporated into its design.
BACKGROUNDThe “Koozie” has been the traditional device used to provide insulation for keeping beverage containers cold and to prevent unwanted exposure by the operators of the Koozie to the cold surface of the beverage container. There have been many variations of this invention over the years, with just as many different spellings of the name Koozie. Virtually all Koozies are constructed from fabric or foam, and slide up from the bottom of the beverage container, such as a beer bottle or can, to cover the entirety of said beverage container, except for the roughly top 15 mm. Said Koozies come in a variety of colors and can be printed on. However, compared to the present invention, they are inferior in a number of ways. The thickness of Koozies makes them aesthetically unappealing and because they are constructed of fabric or foam, the print on them usually is not very detailed and generally limited to only a few colors. Because they slide up from the bottom of beverage containers, they do not lend to a natural appearance, and seem attached to the beverage container, as opposed to part of it. Furthermore, the present invention has more of a slim and compact design, and is applied and removed from the top of the beverage can and not from the bottom.
Insulated Beverage Cozy U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,015 A https://www.google.com/patents/US4293015?dq=insulated+beverage+cozy.&hl=en&sa=X &ei=xu7GVMbYN5KmyASngoH4Ag&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA
Similar but quite different technology to the sleeve device exists in the marketplace and is called “Hide A Beer Can Soda Cover”. It has obvious limitations in that each item is constructed from an actual aluminum soda can, such as, for example, COKE and SPRITE. The top and bottom rims are cut off to allow use of the area of the can with the label. A slit found on one side of the can allows for a widening of the entire construct, since such width is necessary for this device to slip over and away from a beverage can. It is connected together by tape which typically has a similar color as that of the soda can, which in the case of COKE is red and in the case of SPRITE is green. Although it has the benefit of having an authentic and realistic soda can label, it is limited to that label, and does not seem to have any other use apart from concealment. Furthermore, it does not allow for much or any stability of the can underneath. Upon actual use of this device, the problem of the beverage can slipping and falling out from below is very real. Also, the tape on one side reduces significantly its overall realistic appearance, which is to make a beer can look like a genuine soda can.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6wmcr6h4VIqgrd2xol_500.jpg
Another popular device, known by several names such as “Hide Your Beer Cover” or “Canouflage Beer Wraps”, consists of manufactured plastic wraps that have imprinted on them similar but different designs of commercial soda can labels. These labels are wrapped around beer cans to camouflage their appearance so that said beer cans may look like genuine soda cans. Some of these devices have the disadvantage of leaving the upper top half of the beer can uncovered, making the color of the label and the upper portion of the beer can underneath, mismatched. Other devices are vertically long enough to cover the upper portion of beer cans, but because they do not curve along the contours of the can, the concealment of the beer can underneath appears unrealistic and crude and the device, as presented, appears only suited to the purpose of concealment.
http://www.thegreenhead.com/imgs/xl/beer-can-wraps-xl.ing
Another device, also called “Hide-A-Beer”, functions to conceal the outward appearance of beer cans. It is flexible and made of Lycra, and has, approximately, the top 5 millimeters exposed to allow the user access to the lip of the beer can. Because the device is made of fabric, it does not provide the same texture as a real beverage can. Furthermore, the device is limited by a soda can label design and appears exclusively suited to the purpose of concealment and possibly as a Koozie. It is also more difficult to apply and remove than the present invention.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hide-A-Beer-Can-Soda-Sleeve-Wrap-Camo-Koozie-Disguise-Golf-Pool-Beach-Sports -/331103744716?pt=LH DefaultDomain 0&hash=item4d175232cc
Advantages
The sleeve device does not suffer from the limitations of the above mentioned devices. Its scale and dimensions are intended to be as close as possible to that of a genuine beverage can while still maintaining its advantages, functionality, stability, and ease of removal during use. And unlike the aforementioned devices, the sleeve device has many applications beyond insulation and simple concealment.
Examples of Applications of the Present Invention:
1.) Eve's group of friends all prefer to drink COCA-COLA at lunchtime. But Eve prefers PEPSI. Eve can use the sleeve device, bearing a COCA-COLA emblem and/or label as a way to minimally or maximally mimic, duplicate, resemble, enhance and/or conceal her PEPSI can, and make her friends think she is, in fact, drinking COCA-COLA, thus rendering her PEPSI can incognito.
2.) Tom is at his daughter's birthday party. He likes to drink beer, but his wife, Betty, insists that he cannot for moral reasons, leaving Tom with the single and only option of drinking DR. PEPPER. By using the sleeve device with an optional DR. PEPPER emblem and/or label pasted to its side, Tom can drink his beer freely without fear of persecution from his wife.
3.) Jim owns a small local art house where he sells paintings, tea, and a few alcoholic beverages, particularly beer of an exotic kind. He is also an artist and likes the idea of his work being advertised on many of the products he sells in his store. Jim orders customized art versions of the sleeve device, which emblazon designs that he personally created, to promote his business and to expose his clients and customers to more of his work.
4.) A popular soft drink company is conducting a taste-test to determine if consumers prefer its product over the competition. Using the present inventor's sleeve device said soft drink company can further make the identification of the beverages being tested more difficult and challenging.
5.) A popular soft drink company is interested in making its printing, labeling, and recycling process more efficient and beneficial. By printing its logo on, under, or into the sleeve device instead of directly onto the surface of said soft drink company's beverage container product, said soft drink company will have the necessary means to recycle not only the husk or core of the beverage container it uses but also the sleeve device itself, which could be freely distributed and/or used per the utility described in this patent application.
6.) A small-budgeted artist would like to create two personalized versions of the sleeve device to give away as Christmas gifts. By purchasing two completely blank and transparent versions of it, she can apply her own color and inscription to create two unique and original works of art (that can also be utilized per the specifications detailed in this patent application).
7.) A popular soft drink company wants to create special variations of their logo for the holiday season without changing their normal manufacturing and/or printing process. They use custom-made versions of the sleeve device as promotional devices and novelty items.
8.) Rick is in the military and fighting a war abroad. He needs to be able to remain cloaked from the enemy. To aid in this, he has all of his soda cans covered with camouflage-printed versions of the sleeve device.
9.) Sally wants to use a transparent sleeve device without optional printing to provide protection for the many and varied soda cans she has in her collection. In this way, if they are dropped accidentally, they will not be scratched.
10.) Mike wants to use the sleeve device as a “Koozie” to keep his beer cold. He prefers the sleeve device for its slim and compact design, which makes it easier and comfortable to grasp for extended periods of time.
Figures
The present inventor suggests several examples of how the sleeve device could be constructed via several diagrams included with this patent application.
Although the present inventor does not have the means to prove the physics or explain the exact modus operandi of the sleeve device, his view is that it functions as well as it does because of its minimally spaced interior, overall being no more than, and to varying degrees, a few mm away from the surface of the beverage can. This makes the application and removal of said sleeve device from beverage cans a stable, easy and relatively effortless process.
More specifically, the invention functions as well as it does because of its snug tight-fitting top-most half, which completely extends downward from the rim of the beverage can about 5-15 mm. This area of the sleeve device extends away from the surface of the beverage can by about roughly 1 mm or less. Furthermore, when in use, the sleeve device appears to expand in this area to snugly grasp the top lip of the beverage can. This may be one reason why the beverage can does not slip and fall out from underneath the sleeve device while in use: it is tight enough to hold the beverage can in place but loose enough to easily cause the beverage can, when desired by the operator, to pop out.
Conversely, the central bottom-half of the sleeve device is unlike the upper top 5-15 mm section in that it is minimally spaced apart, roughly, more or less, by 2 mm, from the beverage can.
Part of the bottom of the sleeve device, like the top roughly 15 mm, could also be spaced apart by 1 mm or less from the surface of the beverage can, to add more support to allow the sleeve device when in use to remain stable and to easily slide on and off. Vertically, the preferred range of this spacing would be about 1-5 mm from the bottom of the sleeve device.
These measurements represent the current design of the invention but could be modified for future improvements of the sleeve device and are only given as examples of the present inventor's current research. The issue over “more or less” deals with variations on the mm scale provided by the 3D printer used to construct the present invention. There are margins of errors to be considered.
Furthermore, the skin thickness of the sleeve device is preferably less than 1 mm, at or around, but not limited to, 0.5 mm. Depending on properties, particularly the flexibility and robust nature, of the material used in the construction of the sleeve device, the wall thickness could be, and may even be preferred to be, less than 0.5 mm.
The length of the sleeve device from top to bottom is 115 mm. From the top down, the 1st section amounts to 5 mm. The 2nd section amounts to 15 mm. And the third central section, which is the main body of the sleeve device, amounts to 100 mm. It should be repeated that these dimensions are possibly temporary and subject to change upon the discovery of a better more advanced design acquired through further research.
If the present invention is for use as an insulation device, a Koozie, then it can be as thick as necessarily practical to function in such a capacity. Or, the invention could act as a protective layer over another sleeve device that is slightly smaller than itself.
It is important to note that the uniqueness of the sleeve device when compared to traditional Koozies is that it is applied and removed from the top of the beverage can and not from the bottom.
Through testing of the design, the present inventor has determined that the sleeve device can easily be applied and removed from a full or empty beverage can. It should be noted that when the central bottom area of the sleeve device is too tight, it becomes more difficult to remove it from said beverage can (very difficult). Conversely, if the first top 5 and 10 mm (total of 15 mm), of the sleeve device are too loose, then it becomes difficult for the sleeve device to stably adhere to the exterior of said beverage can causing it to slip out from underneath.
Another theoretical explanation for the efficiency of the sleeve device is that, as illustrated in
The utilitarian design of the sleeve device appears to be essential to its proper functioning and ability to serve in the many ways described in this patent application. However, this is because the various plastic materials that have so far been used only work under these conditions. If a future material is designed that can allow for complete maximal snugness of the sleeve device (that is to say, with no, or practically no, spacing between the interior of said sleeve device and the exterior or said beverage can) while at the same time permit easy application and removal of said sleeve device from said beverage can, then that design would be preferred.
The sleeve device is preferably designed for 12 and 16 ounce soda and beer cans. However, different versions of the sleeve device could be constructed to accommodate beer bottles and/or beverage cans, some of which are larger than 12 ounces. Some examples of said larger beverage containers come in 16, 24 and 32 ounces and carry, for example, beer, soda, water, flavored water, and energy drinks products. The same approximate standard of construction would apply to these sizes and/or designs as well: The top roughly 5-15 mm should be snug (more or less 1 mm spaced away from the beverage can) while the lower bottom should be slightly loose fitting (about roughly 2 mm spaced away from the beverage can). Future research will determine the exact dimensions but the above description should provide a useable product. In this way, no matter how large or small, or how different in design the beverage can or bottle may be, an approximate variation of the present invention can be constructed for those items as well. It is expected that new beverage can volumes and designs will be made in the future and the scope and intent of this patent application, if at all possible, will cover them all.
The sleeve device could bear an optional authentic-looking label that, if so desired, would, in terms of appearance, be visible on the surface of the sleeve device to minimally or maximally mimic, duplicate, resemble, enhance and/or conceal the label printed on the surface of a typical beer or soda beverage can. If so desired, the printing could be designed onto the interior of the sleeve device so that the transparent protective sheen of the plastic covering the desired emblem and/or label could be used to advantage. Or a combination of any one of numerous ways of incorporating the emblem and/or label into the design of the sleeve device could be used, the technologies of which are likely numerous and varied. For example, one or more shrink sleeve labels could be applied to the surface of the invention for labeling, advertising, artistic, and any other purposes described in this patent application.
Per the experience of the present inventor, the sleeve device is preferred to be constructed out of a durable, pliable, inexpensive, light, thermally insulating and transparent plastic, such as PET and PLA. This will allow flexibility in modifying the surface of said plastic to suit the wishes of the operator of the invention and/or to minimally or maximally mimic, duplicate, resemble, enhance and/or conceal the appearance of the beverage container underneath. This latter purpose, if so desired, can and should be easily accomplished using such printing tools of the industry fundamental to the art. Some examples of printing technology include 3D, decals, hydrographics and shrink sleeve labels. During the manufacture of the sleeve device, the desired emblem and/or label could be embedded onto, under and/or into the plastic itself thus obviating the need for painting and/or printing on the surface of it.
Current Best Mode of Invention
The currently most preferred (but not limiting) best mode of the sleeve device is one generally designed in the manner described in this patent application, constructed of transparent PET plastic, surrounded by a shrink sleeve label carrying printed words and images. Said shrink sleeve label is cut to the dimensions of the sleeve device, with its very top 1 or 2 mm also cut in order to expose through the PET plastic of the sleeve device the aluminum lip of the beverage container underneath.
Novel but Optional Modifications to Present Invention
Paint could be applied to the surface of the invention, with the sleeve device being made of a transparent material such as clear PET or PLA plastic. The top uppermost section could then remain unpainted in order to preserve the authentic appearance of the metal silvery lip that is common to virtually all beverage cans. Shrinks sleeve labels could be applied in similar manner, and then the top area covering the lip of the beverage can could be cut off with a utility knife or razor in order to expose the aluminum lip of the beverage can, which will be observable though the transparent PET plastic used in the construction of the sleeve device.
The length of the top upper lip of the sleeve device could be shortened so that the end of it meets the bottom most part of the metal silvery lip. While this may aid in the operator's consumption of the beverage and may allow for a more realistic beverage can appearance to the sleeve device, in the experience of the present inventor, this design change makes it difficult to remove the sleeve device from the beverage can, and so is not preferred.
A lip resembling the metal lip of a beverage could be painted on to allow for a more realistic beverage can appearance of the sleeve device.
A lip made of the same material as the sleeve device and resembling the metal lip of a beverage can could be incorporated into the design of the sleeve device during the manufacturing process.
The bottom of the sleeve device normally ends right below the beverage can label. This is so that the sleeve device can maintain the realistic appearance of a genuine beverage can. However, for aesthetic and other purposes, the vertical length of the sleeve device could extend all the way down to the bottom of the beverage can, thus enveloping it completely.
For the sake of promotion, the sleeve device could be sold in a six-pack configuration, with an inexpensive construct mimicking, duplicating and/or resembling the appearance of six-pack of beverage containers anchored to a common six-pack holder encompassing six connected rings, entirely and commonly, but not necessarily, made of either plastic, or some other suitable material (much in the way commercial six-pack beverage cans are held in a six-pack configuration) which could serve as a vehicle for six of the sleeve devices, thus creating the appearance of a normal common everyday six-pack of beverages, the brands of which may vary.
The interior surface of the sleeve device could be coated by any one of many substances that could provide a rougher more gripping surface than that of the material ultimately chosen for said sleeve device's final design. Conversely, said interior surface could be lubricated to allow easier application and removal of said sleeve device from said beverage container. In this way, the sleeve device could, depending on the preference of the operator, either better adhere to, or more easily slide over and away from the surface of the beverage can to ensure more stability of the sleeve device during use. The natural line texture formed during the 3D printing process could impart better adhesion properties to both the inside and outside of the sleeve device.
Means for adhering to surface of the beverage container could be used in order to completely eliminate the need for the spacing design described in this patent application. Thus, such means would ensure that the distance the sleeve device is from the surface of the beverage can is completely the same and uniform, with no need for parts of it to be closer or further away. For example, instead of the top 15 mm of the sleeve device being roughly 1 mm away from the surface of the beverage can, an insert that is 1 mm in thickness could stand in its place, with the actual sleeve device uniformly being 2 mm away from the surface of the beverage can.
It should be noted that the optional connection devices for the various parts of the sleeve device are expected to be numerous and varied in design and no preference by the present inventor is given to any which one.
Conclusion
As regards the wish of the present inventor to cover every aspect of said and present invention as thoroughly as possible, the following excerpt, proficiently describing said present inventor's wish, is included with this patent application.
Taken from U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,116:
“Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, the details thereof are not to be construed as limitations, for it will be apparent that various equivalents, changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and it is understood that such equivalent embodiments are intended to be included herein.”
Claims
1. A sleeve device, comprising:
- a. A cylindrical body, open at either end, having the contours of a beverage can, with the top end flush with the top of the beverage can, and the bottom end flush right at or slightly below the bottom of the beverage can label.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 27, 2015
Publication Date: Jul 28, 2016
Inventor: Eloy Gonzalez, II (McAllen, TX)
Application Number: 14/606,016
