BEVERAGE CONTAINER HOLDER AND HEAD SUPPORT

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a beverage container holder. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention may comprise a beverage container holder having an internal sleeve or insert that allows the holder to be used with beverage containers of varying sizes. The invention may also comprise a headrest portion that can be used to support the head and/or neck of a user.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/592,823, filed on Nov. 30, 2017, entitled BEVERAGE CONTAINER HOLDER AND HEAD SUPPORT, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to beverage container holders. More specifically, the invention relates to an insulated beverage container holder that may also be used as a head support.

BACKGROUND

Beverages are sold in a variety of individual containers such as cans, bottles, pouches, and boxes. Due to the convenience of such containers, people often drink straight from the containers rather than first pouring the beverage in cup. It is particularly common to drink from individual containers when away from the home such as at various recreational activities. People can often be found carrying cans or bottles of various beverages when at the beach, pool, lake, park or any number of outdoor activities. While individual containers are convenient for transporting and carrying beverages, they pose the significant drawback that the liquid inside the container tends to quickly vary from a desired serving temperature. For example, soda, beer, and water are typically enjoyed chilled but the drinks tend to warm quickly when they are removed from a cold environment such as a refrigerator or cooler. Because of this, insulated beverage holders have become a popular means of keeping beverage containers and their contents cool. Insulated sleeves also prevent the hands of a user from getting cold.

Just as individual containers of beverages are common in recreational settings, it is also common to see people relaxing in certain recreational activities. For example, while at a beach a person may want to lie down, or at the park the person may want to lie on a blanket or lean against a tree to rest. People relaxing in such situations often face a dilemma of how to support their head. It is usually not convenient or practical to take a pillow on outdoor recreational outings, so the person is either forced to assemble a makeshift head support (e.g., rolled up blanket or clothes) or lie or sit without a head support. Various products have been marketed as outdoor pillows or neck supports, but they all tend to take up valuable space when being transported and can be a burden to keep track of What is needed is a head support that is not a burden to transport and can ideally be used for additional purposes to save space.

Since individual containers of beverages are common in recreational settings it makes sense that insulated beverage holders are also often used at such events. Accordingly, individuals are often at events where they want to relax in a sitting or lying position as well as use an insulated beverage holder. What is needed is a product that could accomplish the task of both an insulated beverage holder as well as a head support. Such a device would be convenient, save space, and limit the items that a person has to transport and keep track of The present invention addresses this need.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. A high-level overview of various aspects of the invention is provided here to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. In brief, this disclosure describes, among other things, one or more embodiments of a beverage container holder that can be used as a head and/or neck support.

The present invention comprises a beverage container holder having an insulative side wall extending upwardly from a base to a rim and surrounding an interior cavity, the interior cavity being adjacent the inner surface of the side wall. The holder may be cylindrical in shape (other shapes are also foreseen) and capable of receiving various types of beverage containers (e.g., bottles, cans or cups) in the interior cavity. The side wall may be generally curved or, depending on the shape of the holder, the side wall may be generally planar or flat (or at least have an outer surface that is generally planar or flat). If the side wall is generally planar or flat, the holder may utilize multiple such side walls (e.g., if the holder is cuboid shaped).

The holder may also include an internal sleeve (also referred to herein as an insert) that fits within the interior cavity adjacent the inner surface of the side wall. The sleeve may frictionally engage the inner surface of the side wall to help hold the sleeve in place. The sleeve may be adapted to receive a beverage container and act as a partial filler in the interior cavity so that beverage containers having a smaller diameter may be securely positioned within an oversized interior cavity. This allows the holder to be used with beverage containers of various sizes. For example, a larger bottle having a diameter approximating the diameter of the interior cavity could be positioned in the holder without the internal sleeve. A smaller bottle having a diameter less than that of the internal cavity would move undesirably within the cavity, thus the sleeve could be used to sufficiently fill the cavity and allow the bottle to sit securely in the holder.

The holder may also be used to support the head and/or neck of a user when the user is in a seated or lying position. The side wall may have a headrest portion upon which a person can rest the head or neck. The headrest might be in the form of a cutout or indention, textured pattern, a flattened area, various contours, or some combination of these things formed in the outer surface of the side wall. The exact size, shape and location of the headrest can vary. The headrest is intended to be a relatively comfortable area where a person can place their head and/or neck. The holder can be used as a head support with or without a beverage container inserted in the holder. If a beverage container is not inserted, the internal sleeve can be positioned in the interior cavity to provide support and cushioning when positioned under a person's head if necessary.

The beverage container holder is preferably made from a material that is both insulative and elastic. However, the material should be capable of supporting a person's head and/or neck without the material completely compressing. In other words, the material should be elastic, but not so much as to not provide support and cushion when being used as a support for the head and/or neck. Finally, the material is preferably not adversely affected by water. The beverage container holder is likely to be used outdoors and become wet, and it should be able to quickly dry and be used for its intended purposes despite being exposed to water. One material that would meet these preferred criteria is foam rubber. It is foreseen that there are numerous other materials that could be used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage container holder in a first configuration in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the beverage container holder of FIG. 1 being used as a head support for a person lying on the ground without a beverage container inserted therein.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the beverage container holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the beverage container holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein the interior sleeve is removed to accommodate a larger beverage container and the headrest is not textured.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bottom interior of the beverage container holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the beverage container holder of FIG. 1 in a second configuration being used as a head support for a person lying on the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Thus, any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.

Certain terminology used in the following description is for convenience in reference only and is not limiting. For example, the words “vertically,” “horizontally,” “vertical,” “horizontal” and “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “upper,” “lower” all refer to the depicted position of the element or embodiment to which the reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being designated and parts thereof. The terms “about” or “approximately” as used herein denote deviations from the exact value in the form of changes or deviations that are insignificant to the function. The terminology used herein may include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of a similar import. It is further understood that terminology such as the aforementioned directional phrases may be used to describe exemplary embodiments of the beverage container holder as shown in the figures herein. This is for convenience only as it is understood that the exemplary embodiments of the beverage container holder described may also be used in other orientations.

Referring to the drawings, an insulated beverage container holder that can also be used as a head and/or neck support in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. FIG. 1 shows holder 10 being used to hold and insulate a beverage container 12, which for illustration is a conventional water bottle but could be any number of beverage containers. Holder 10 includes a base 14 and a side wall 18 extending upwardly from the base 14 to a rim 20. A headrest 22 is formed in the outer surface of side wall 18. Side wall 18 surrounds an interior void 26 (shown in later figures). It should be noted that while the embodiments described herein are directed to a generally cylindrical holder 10, it is foreseen that the invention may come in other shapes such as, without limitation, cuboid, ellipsoid, and hourglass.

Holder 10 further comprises an insert or sleeve 30 located adjacent the inner surface of side wall 18 in interior void 26. Sleeve 30 may be used with smaller diameter beverage containers such as conventional 16.9 fluid ounce water bottles, and sleeve 30 may be removed when the holder 10 is used with larger diameter beverage containers. The height of sleeve 30 approximates the height of side wall 18. The size of holder 10 may vary depending on the size of the container 12 being held. For example, a holder 10 that is fourteen inches tall would be an appropriate size for many applications, although holder 10 can be larger or smaller as necessary. Sleeve 30 may be cylindrical or another shape depending on the type of beverage container being held.

As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to being used to hold and insulate beverage containers, holder 10 may also be used as head and/or neck support. To use holder 10 in such a fashion, it may be oriented horizontally and placed under the head and/or neck of a user 34. When used as a head and/or neck support, holder 10 may simultaneously hold a beverage container (FIG. 7) or it may be used without a container (FIG. 2). When used as a support without a beverage container, holder 10 may compress or flatten somewhat as shown in FIG. 2. The overall shape may change from generally cylindrical to semi-flat as interior void 26 collapses under the weight of the head and/or neck of user 34. Side wall 18 can be made from a resilient material such as foam rubber, and the thickness of side wall 18 is preferably thick enough to support a person's head and/or neck without holder 10 completely flattening. To provide additional structural support and cushioning, sleeve 30 may be inserted in void 26 when holder 10 is used as a support without a container 12 inserted therein. As shown in FIG. 2, with sleeve 30 inserted, holder 10 collapses slightly when used as a support, and it deforms from a generally circular transverse cross-section to a generally elliptical transverse cross-section. Depending on the weight being supported and the thickness of the side wall 18, holder 10 may collapse more or less than shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, to use holder 10 with a container 12, the container 12 is inserted into sleeve 30 (if necessary) and then both the container and sleeve are inserted into interior void 26 adjacent side wall 18. As noted above, the diameter of container 12 will dictate whether sleeve 30 is necessary. If the diameter of container 12 is large enough that sleeve 30 cannot be placed on container 12, the container can be inserted directly into void 26 and sleeve 30 can be set aside. In some embodiments, sleeve 30 may be attached to side wall 18 so that when it is placed outside of void 26 it is not lost. After container 12 is inserted into holder 10, a user can carry the holder and container by grasping the outer surface of side wall 18 or via a carrying strap 40. Strap 40 may be attached to holder 10 by a ring clasp 44 secured to side wall 18 or any other method known in the art.

Headrest 22 may take the form of a cut-out or indented portion of the outer surface of side wall 18. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, headrest 22 is typically concave and sufficiently sized to receive the back of the head of user 34 and/or the nape portion of the user's neck. Because headrest 22 is concave, it is not only comfortable, but it also allows the head and/or neck to remain in the headrest 22 with little effort by user 34. Thus, if the user 34 falls asleep, the head will stay in place in the headrest 22 with no additional effort. Depending on the size of side wall 18, headrest 22 may span from base 14 to rim 20. For a concave headrest, the deepest part of the indention is near the midpoint between the two ends of the headrest, with the ends being proximate base 14 and rim 20.

Headrest 22 may also include texture or padding 50. Padding 50 could comprise any number of patterns including a plurality of small cushioned protuberances 54. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the protuberances 54 may be laid out in a grid formation with horizontal and vertical channels 60 running therebetween. Channels 60 provide paths for air to circulate between the protuberances 54, thus helping air to flow between the headrest 22 and user 34 while the user's head and/or neck rests on the protuberances 54. Channels 60 further provide paths for any accumulated perspiration or moisture to drain. It is also foreseen that headrest 22 may not utilize padding 50, and instead have a relatively smooth surface 62 as shown in FIG. 5. A smooth surface 62 may be beneficial in instances where there is concern that dirt could build up in channels 60.

Headrest 22 may be a number of shapes (when viewed straight ahead as in FIGS. 1 and 3), such as an oval, which may be one of the more comfortable shapes. An oval has curved sides 64, which fit well with the contour of the back of a user's head and/or neck. A headrest 22 that is symmetrical along its longitudinal axis, such as an oval, is beneficial because the headrest 22 is effective regardless of the way holder 10 is oriented. In other words, holder 10 can be oriented horizontally such that base 14 is on either the right side or left side and it may not affect the comfort and fit of a symmetrical headrest 22.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, holder 10 may be designed such that it holds container 12 relatively snugly. More specifically, holder 10 may frictionally engage container 12. FIG. 4 shows container 12 frictionally engaged with the inner surface 68 of sleeve 30. Sleeve 30 is then frictionally engaged with the inner surface 72 of side wall 18. Because these components are frictionally engaged with each other, holder 10 remains on container 12 even when holder 10 is jostled or thrown. For example, when used at a beach, holder 10 (with container 12 installed) may be thrown from one person to another or taken into the water. With container 12 fitting snugly inside holder 10, the items are unlikely to become separated thus minimizing the chance that either would be lost. The same is true even if sleeve 30 is not used. As shown in FIG. 5, a larger diameter container 12a may frictionally engage the inner surface 72 of side wall 18, ensuring a snug fit even without sleeve 30.

Holder 10 is preferably constructed of water resistant materials or covered with a water resistant coating. Such materials or coating will maximize the durability of the holder 10 since it is likely that the holder will encounter moisture at some point, whether from the environment, or condensation or spillage from the container being held. Because there is a chance that the holder 10 could be exposed to water or other liquids inside void 26, there may be a central drain hole 76 formed in base 14 (FIGS. 4-6). Holder 10 may also be constructed of buoyant material, either in whole or in part. A buoyant holder 10 may be desirable if the holder will be used in and around large bodies of water to ensure that it is not lost due to sinking.

Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible. Embodiments of the technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it. Alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the inventive concept. For example, an embodiment of the invention includes a generally cylindrical holder 10 (having a circular transverse cross section), but another embodiment may include a generally cuboid shaped holder (having a square or rectangular cross section).

Identification of structures as being configured to perform a particular function in this disclosure is intended to be inclusive of structures and arrangements or designs thereof that are within the scope of this disclosure and readily identifiable by one of skill in the art and that can perform the particular function in a similar way. Certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations and are contemplated.

The terms “substantially,” “generally,” “approximately,” or any other qualifying term as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation, which could permissibly vary without resulting in a change to the basic function to which it is related.

Claims

1. A beverage container holder comprising:

a side wall extending upwardly from a base to a rim, wherein an interior cavity for receiving a beverage container extends from said base to said rim and is adjacent an inner surface of said side wall; and

a headrest formed in said side wall, said headrest comprising an indention in an outer surface of said side wall, said indention sized to receive a portion of a person's head or neck.

2. The beverage container holder of claim 1, wherein the beverage container holder is generally cylindrical.

3. The beverage container holder of claim 1, wherein said side wall is generally curved.

4. The beverage container holder of claim 1, further comprising an insert adapted to receive a beverage container, said insert receivable within said interior cavity.

5. The beverage container holder of claim 1, wherein said headrest includes a texture on said indention.

6. The beverage container holder of claim 5, wherein said texture includes a plurality of protuberances.

7. The beverage container holder of claim 6, wherein said indention has a first end and a second end, said first end proximate said base and said second end proximate said rim.

8. The beverage container holder of claim 7, wherein said indention is deepest proximate a midpoint between said first end and said second end.

9. The beverage container holder of claim 8, further comprising channels between said protuberances to assist with air circulation.

10. A beverage container holder comprising:

a side wall extending upwardly from a base to a rim, wherein an interior cavity of the beverage container holder extends from said base to said rim and is adjacent an inner surface of said side wall; and

an insert receivable within said interior cavity, wherein said insert frictionally engages said inner surface of said side wall, said insert adapted to receive a beverage container.

11. The beverage container holder of claim 10, wherein said insert is generally cylindrical.

12. The beverage container holder of claim 11, wherein the beverage container holder is generally cylindrical.

13. The beverage container holder of claim 11, wherein said side wall is generally curved.

14. A beverage container holder comprising:

a side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said side wall extending upwardly from a base to a rim, said side wall adjacent an interior cavity;

an insert receivable within said interior cavity, wherein said insert frictionally engages said inner surface of said side wall, said insert adapted to receive a beverage container; and

a headrest formed in said side wall, said headrest comprising an indention in said outer surface of said side wall, wherein said indention has a first end and a second end, said first end proximate said base and said second end proximate said rim, said indention being deepest proximate the midpoint between said first end and said second end.

15. The beverage container holder of claim 14, wherein said insert is generally cylindrical.

16. The beverage container holder of claim 15, wherein the beverage container holder is generally cylindrical.

17. The beverage container holder of claim 15, wherein said side wall is generally curved.

18. The beverage container holder of claim 14, wherein said headrest includes a texture on said indention.

19. The beverage container holder of claim 18, wherein said texture includes a plurality of protuberances.

20. The beverage container holder of claim 19, further comprising channels between said protuberances to assist with air circulation.