ADAPTERS FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINER THERMAL INSULATORS OR DRINK HOLDERS
Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of adapters for beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders. In exemplary embodiments, the adapters may be used for adapting beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders that are pre-sized for standard sized 12-ounce cans for use with bottles (e.g., standard sized 12-ounce longneck bottles, etc.) and other can sizes (e.g., “16-ounce tallboy” cans, “12-ounce slim” cans, etc.). In exemplary embodiments, the adapter may be made (e.g., injection molded, etc.) from one or more thermally-insulative materials for covering and thermally insulating the upper portion of a bottle or can that would otherwise extend outwardly above the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder. By thermally insulating the portion that would otherwise be exposed, the adapter can significantly reduce the rate at which the beverage within the bottle or can will warm up, e.g., when placed in the sun, etc.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/413,234 filed Oct. 26, 2016. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELDThe present disclosure generally relates to adapters for beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders.
BACKGROUNDThis section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Beverage container thermal insulators (e.g., koozies, coolers, huggers, huggies, etc.) are commonly used to thermally insulate a chilled beverage (e.g., a standard 12-ounce can of cold beer, etc.) from warming by conduction and heat radiation, e.g., sunlight, a drinker's hand, warm air, a warm surface (e.g., picnic tabletop, pool deck, etc.), etc.
A traditional beverage container thermal insulator is a koozie. A koozie generally includes a round hollow foam cylinder with an open top end for receiving a beer can therein and a foam base at the opposite bottom end to prevent the beer can from sliding out of the koozie. The foam base may have a small hole to ease inserting and removing a beer can into/from the koozie.
Using a foam koozie can significantly reduce the rate at which a can of cold beer warms up in the sun. A koozie may prevent the drinker's hand from getting wet from condensation along the outside of the can. Further, Koozies may also be helpful in allowing people to more readily distinguish their beverages from other persons' beverages.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONExample embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of adapters (e.g., 100, 200, 300, etc.) that may be used for adapting beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders that are pre-sized for standard sized 12-ounce cans for use with bottles (e.g., standard sized 12-ounce longneck bottles, etc.) and other can sizes (e.g., “16-ounce tallboy” cans, “12-ounce slim” cans, etc.). In exemplary embodiments, the adapters may be made of one or more thermally-insulative materials for covering and thermally insulating the upper portions of bottles or cans that would otherwise extend outwardly above the beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders. By thermally insulating the portion that would otherwise be exposed, an adapter disclosed herein can significantly reduce the rate at which the beverage within the bottle or can will warm up, e.g., when placed in the sun, etc. Advantageously, the adapters may be added to or retrofit onto (e.g., via a push on press fit, etc.) the beverage containers and the thermal insulators or drink holders without requiring any modifications to the beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders.
In exemplary embodiments, the adapter may be initially positioned or slid overtop of an upper exposed portion of a bottle or can that is protruding outwardly from the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder. The adapter may then be pushed and forced downwardly onto (e.g., press fit over, etc.) the upper portion of the bottle or can. In this position, the adapter may be held in place via friction from a press fit, friction fit, or interference fit created between the adapter and the upper portion of the bottle or can and/or between the adapter and a portion of the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder.
The adapter may include an inner ridge, shoulder, step, or stepped down portion that extends circumferentially along an inner surface of the adapter. The step may be operable as a stop to inhibit continued downward movement of the adapter when the step contacts a top portion of the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder. The adapter may include a single sidewall that integrally defines or has a first or lower sidewall portion and a second or upper sidewall portion. The adapter may have a stepped circular cross-sectional profile that includes or is defined by the first and second sidewall portions. More specifically, the second sidewall portion may have a circular cross-sectional profile with an inner diameter less than an inner diameter of a circular cross-sectional profile of the first sidewall portion. The step may thus be defined generally between or at the intersection of the first and second sidewall portions. The step may have a width defined by one-half of the difference between the different inner diameters of the first and second sidewall portions.
The first sidewall portion with the larger diameter may configured to fit snugly over an upper portion of the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder. The second sidewall portion with the smaller diameter may be configured to fit snugly over an upper portion of the bottle or can. This may help hold the bottle or can stationary within the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder, which, in turn, may reduce or prevent the bottle or can from rattling or moving within the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder. The adapter includes first and second (or bottom and top) larger and smaller openings at the respective opposite first and second ends (or bottom and top) of the adapter.
In exemplary embodiments, the adapter may be made of one or more thermally-insulative materials such that the adapter has a thermal conductivity less than air. Example thermally-insulative materials include silicones, FDA approved plastics, ethylene propylene diene monomer (M-class) rubbers (EPDM rubber), neoprene or polychloroprene rubbers, blends of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and EPDM, thermoplastic rubbers (TPR), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) (e.g., Santoprene™ TPV, etc.), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), injection moldable materials, 3D printing materials, additive manufacturing materials, other materials having a thermal conductivity less than air, etc.
In exemplary embodiments, the adapter may be made (e.g., injection molded, etc.) from an FDA-approved plastic or other thermally-insulative material such that the adapter has a monolithic or one-piece construction (e.g., single sidewall integrally defining upper and lower sidewall portions with a stop therebetween, etc.). In exemplary embodiments, the adapter may be made by 3D printing or additive manufacturing from an FDA-approved plastic, white silicone, or other thermally-insulative material such that the adapter has a monolithic or one-piece construction. In alternative embodiments, the adapter may be may be made via other processes and/or from other materials.
With reference now to the drawings,
As shown in
The first sidewall portion 128 with the larger diameter is configured to fit snugly over the Load-and-Lock® gasket 112. The second sidewall portion 132 with the smaller diameter is configured to fit snugly over the neck and upper portion of the bottle 108. The step 124 is operable as a stop to inhibit continued downward movement of the adapter 100 when the step 124 contacts the top of the Load-and-Lock® gasket 112. The adapter 100 includes first and second (or bottom and top) larger and smaller openings 140, 144 at the respective opposite first and second ends (or bottom or top) of the adapter 100. By way of example only, the first and second openings 140, 144 may respectively have diameters of about 28 mm and about 76.2 mm as shown in
As shown in
The first sidewall portion 228 with the larger diameter is configured to fit snugly over an upper portion of the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder 104. In this example, the Load-and-Lock® gasket 112 is not present such that the first sidewall portion 228 is press fit over the exposed threaded portion 116 from which the Load-and-Lock® gasket 112 has been removed and a portion of the sidewall 118 immediately below the threaded portion 116.
The second sidewall portion 232 of the adapter 200 with the smaller diameter is configured to fit snugly over the upper portion of the can 208. This may help hold the can 208 stationary within the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder 104, which, in turn, may reduce or prevent the can 208 from rattling or moving within the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder 104.
The step 224 is operable as a stop to inhibit continued downward movement of the adapter 200 when the step 224 contacts a shoulder or step 120 (
As shown in
The first sidewall portion 328 with the larger diameter is configured to fit snugly over the Load-and-Lock® gasket 112. The second sidewall portion 332 with the smaller diameter is configured to fit snugly over the upper portion of the can 308. This may help hold the can 308 stationary within the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder 104, which, in turn, may reduce or prevent the can 308 from rattling or moving within the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder 104.
The step 324 is operable as a stop to inhibit continued downward movement of the adapter 300 when the step 324 contacts the top of the Load-and-Lock® gasket 112. The adapter 300 includes first and second (or bottom and top) larger and smaller openings 340, 344 at the respective opposite first and second ends (or bottom and top) of the adapter 300. By way of example only, the first and second openings 340, 344 may respectively have diameters of about 76.2 mm and about 57.2 mm as shown in
By way of background, a standard sized 12-ounce can is about 5 inches tall and about 2.5 inches in diameter at the widest point of the body. A standard sized 12-ounce longneck bottle is about 9 inches tall and about 2.4 inches in diameter at the widest point of the body. A 16-ounce tallboy can is about 6.2 inches tall and about 2.6 inches in diameter at the widest point of the body. A 12-ounce slim can is about 6 inches tall and about 2.25 inches in diameter at the widest point of the body.
Also by way of background, the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder is sized for 12-ounce standard cans. Dimensionally, the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder has an outer diameter of 3⅛ inches. The total height is 4⅞ inches from the top of the standard 12-ounce can to the bottom of YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder when the 12-ounce can is fully inserted into the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder as shown in
Although the figures show the bottle adapter 100 and can adapters 200, 300 being used with the YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder 104, the exemplary adapters disclosed herein should not be limited to use with only YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holders. The exemplary adapters disclosed herein may be used with other beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders (e.g., koozies, can coolers, huggers, huggies, etc.) made from stainless steel or other materials.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms, and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. In addition, advantages and improvements that may be achieved with one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are provided for purpose of illustration only and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure, as exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may provide all or none of the above mentioned advantages and improvements and still fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
Specific dimensions, specific materials, and/or specific shapes disclosed herein are example in nature and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The disclosure herein of particular values and particular ranges of values for given parameters are not exclusive of other values and ranges of values that may be useful in one or more of the examples disclosed herein. Moreover, it is envisioned that any two particular values for a specific parameter stated herein may define the endpoints of a range of values that may be suitable for the given parameter (i.e., the disclosure of a first value and a second value for a given parameter can be interpreted as disclosing that any value between the first and second values could also be employed for the given parameter). For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to have value A and also exemplified to have value Z, it is envisioned that parameter X may have a range of values from about A to about Z. Similarly, it is envisioned that disclosure of two or more ranges of values for a parameter (whether such ranges are nested, overlapping or distinct) subsume all possible combination of ranges for the value that might be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example, if parameter X is exemplified herein to have values in the range of 1-10, or 2-9, or 3-8, it is also envisioned that Parameter X may have other ranges of values including 1-9, 1-8, 1-3, 1 - 2, 2-10, 2-8, 2-3, 3-10, and 3-9.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
The term “about” when applied to values indicates that the calculation or the measurement allows some slight imprecision in the value (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If, for some reason, the imprecision provided by “about” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring or using such parameters. For example, the terms “generally,” “about,” and “substantially,” may be used herein to mean within manufacturing tolerances. Whether or not modified by the term “about,” the claims include equivalents to the quantities.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements, intended or stated uses, or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
Claims
1. An adapter for adapting a 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a beverage container having a height greater than a standard 12-ounce can, the adapter comprising a thermally-insulative material including:
- a lower sidewall portion configured to be press fit over an upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that an interference fit is created between the lower sidewall portion and the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator; and
- an upper sidewall portion configured for covering and thermally insulating an upper exposed portion of the beverage container that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the beverage container is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
2. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising a stop extending circumferentially along an inner surface of the adapter generally between the upper and lower sidewall portions, whereby the stop is operable to inhibit continued downward movement of the adapter onto the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the stop contacts a corresponding portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein:
- the adapter has a stepped circular cross-sectional profile defined by the upper and lower sidewall portions; and
- the upper sidewall portion has a circular cross-sectional profile with an inner diameter less than an inner diameter of a circular cross-sectional profile of the lower sidewall portion such that a step is defined circumferentially along an inner surface of the adapter generally between or at the intersection of the upper and lower sidewall portions.
4. The adapter of claim 3, wherein the adapter consists of a single sidewall made of the thermally-insulative material that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion, the lower sidewall portion, and the step, such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction.
5. The adapter of claim 2, wherein the adapter consists of a single sidewall made of the thermally-insulative material that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion, the lower sidewall portion, and the stop, such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction.
6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to be retained to the 12-ounce can thermal insulator via friction created by the interference fit such that the adapter is retrofittable onto the 12-ounce can thermal insulator without requiring any modifications to the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
7. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the adapter consists of a single sidewall made of the thermally-insulative material that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion and the lower sidewall portion such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction.
8. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the thermally-insulative material comprises one or more of a silicone, an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, a polychloroprene rubber, a blend of chlorinated polyethylene and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, a thermoplastic rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer, a thermoplastic vulcanizate, an ethylene-vinyl acetate, an injection moldable material, and/or a 3D printable or additive manufacturing material.
9. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the adapter consists of an injection molded or 3D printed sidewall that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion and the lower sidewall portion such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction.
10. The adapter of claim 1, wherein:
- the adapter is configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a longneck bottle having a standard 12-ounce size that is about 9 inches tall and about 2.4 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the longneck bottle; and
- the upper sidewall portion is configured for covering and thermally insulating at least a neck of the longneck bottle that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the longneck bottle is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
11. The adapter of claim 1, wherein:
- the adapter is configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 16-ounce tallboy can that is about 6.2 inches tall and about 2.6 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 16-ounce tallboy can; and
- the upper sidewall portion is configured for covering and thermally insulating an upper exposed portion of the 16-ounce tallboy can that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the 16-ounce tallboy can is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
12. The adapter of claim 1, wherein:
- the adapter is configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 12-ounce slim can that is about 6 inches tall and about 2.25 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 12-ounce slim can; and
- the upper sidewall portion is configured for overing and thermally insulating an upper exposed portion of the 12-ounce slim can that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the 12-ounce slim can is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
13. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the lower sidewall portion is configured to be press fit over a gasket threaded onto an upper threaded portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that the interference fit is created between an inner surface of the lower sidewall portion and an outer surface of the gasket.
14. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the lower sidewall portion is configured to be press fit over the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when a gasket is not present on the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
15. A kit comprising a plurality of adapters of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adapters comprise:
- a first adapter configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a longneck bottle having a standard 12-ounce size that is about 9 inches tall and about 2.4 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the longneck bottle; the upper a second adapter configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 16-ounce tallboy can that is about 6.2 inches tall and about 2.6 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 16-ounce tallboy can; and
- a third adapter configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 12-ounce slim can that is about 6 inches tall and about 2.25 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 12-ounce slim can.
16. The kit of claim 15, wherein:
- each of the lower sidewall portions of the first and third adapters is configured to be press fit over a gasket threaded onto the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that the interference fit is created between an inner surface of the lower sidewall portion and an outer surface of the gasket; and
- the lower sidewall portion of the second adapter is configured to be press fit over the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the gasket is not present on the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
17. The adapter of claim 1, wherein:
- the adapter is configured for use with a YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder; and/or
- the adapter is configured for use with a 12-ounce can thermal insulator having an outer diameter of about 3⅛ inches and a height within a range from about 4½ inches to about 4⅞ inches.
18. A method of using a 12-ounce can thermal insulator with a beverage container having a height greater than a standard 12-ounce can, the method comprising positioning an adapter over an upper exposed portion of the beverage container that is protruding outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that:
- a lower sidewall portion of the adapter creates an interference fit with an upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator; and
- an upper sidewall portion of the adapter covers and thermally insulates the upper exposed portion of the beverage container;
- wherein the upper and lower sidewall portions comprise a thermally-insulative material.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
- positioning the beverage container in the 12-ounce can thermal insulator;
- positioning a gasket over the upper exposed portion of the beverage container; and
- threadedly engaging the gasket with an upper threaded portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator;
- wherein positioning the adapter includes press fitting the lower sidewall portion over the gasket that is threaded onto the upper threaded portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that the interference fit is created between an inner surface of the lower sidewall portion and an outer surface of the gasket.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein positioning the adapter includes press fitting the lower sidewall portion over the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when a gasket is not present on the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 16, 2016
Publication Date: Apr 26, 2018
Inventor: Cliff Bingham (Statesville, NC)
Application Number: 15/382,264
