BEVERAGE CONTAINER HOLDER
A device 200 is disclosed for holding a beverage container 216 having any size within a range of sizes. The holder 200 has a side wall 202 defining an opening 208 through which the beverage container is insertable and a base 204. A collar 210 is positioned within the opening 208, and the side wall 202 and the base 204 together define a cavity 214 for receiving the beverage container 216. The collar 210 is pliable and is arranged to deform to contact and grip the beverage container 216. The opening 208 has a first width and the collar 210 has an aperture 212 formed therein, the aperture 212 having a second width, the first and second widths being selected to adapt the device to the desired range of sizes.
The invention relates to holders for beverage containers, for example to allow a user to hold a hot or cold beverage container without their hand becoming too hot or cold. In particular the invention relates to such holders which allow a user to drink from them in a safe, pleasurable, and convenient manner.
Beverage holders are known which aim to maintain the temperature of a beverage. Such containers may be divided into two broad categories. Each of these categories suffers from a number of drawbacks.
A first category is a flexible, tight-fitting sleeve, typically made of neoprene foam or similar materials. While relatively cheap, these holders lack efficacy in maintaining the temperature of the beverage. In addition, the sleeves are usually shaped and sized so as to fit only a single size of beverage holder, and consequently multiple sleeves must be purchased if a user is to be able to achieve the desired effect across a range of shapes and sizes of beverage containers.
A second category is a more rigid variant for encasing the beverage container, formed from plastic or metal. In order to allow a variety of sizes of beverage containers to be fitted into the holder, the rigid walls provide a cavity typically somewhat larger than many of the containers they are intended to hold. Not only does this provide an air gap through which convective heat transfer can occur between the outside environment and the beverage container, this can also lead to issues when a user tries to drink from the container. As the user tilts the container to their mouth to drink, in some cases they will need to exert a force with their mouth on the container while drinking to prevent the container from falling out of the holder and hitting them in their face. Some users find applying such a force while drinking detracts from their enjoyment.
In addition, the cavity of such devices is typically unsealed in the sense that convective heat flow between the drink and the environment, which can accelerate the process of the beverage reaching the equilibrium with the environment (that is for cold drinks to become warm and for hot drinks to become cool) is typically substantially unrestricted in such devices.
Some attempts have been made to address these issues with the second variant, but similar to designs in the first category discussed above, these tend to be tailored towards a particular size of beverage container, and so lack widespread applicability—a user must buy multiple holders and/or lids and switch between them each time they change beverage containers. In addition, these designs usually grip the beverage container very firmly and make it difficult for a user to remove an empty beverage container to empty the holder for insertion of a new, full, container.
The present invention aims to address some or all of these drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONDisclosed herein is a holder for a beverage container, the holder comprising: a base; a side wall defining an opening through which the beverage container is insertable; and a collar located within the opening; wherein the side wall and the base together define a cavity for receiving the beverage container; and wherein the collar is adjustable between a first configuration for contacting a first size of beverage container and a second configuration for contacting a second size of beverage container.
The opening is located at the other end of the side wall from the base, that is, the side wall spaces the base apart from the opening. In other words, the length of the side wall plays a part in determining the size of beverage container which can be contained within the holder. The portion of the side wall nearest the opening is referred to as the rim. The collar is located at or near the rim of the side wall in many examples, although in some cases it may be spaced some distance into the cavity, for example between 1 cm and 5 cm below (i.e. closer to the base than) the rim. In general, the direction perpendicular to the base pointing into the cavity will be referred to as upward. Directions aligned with (or anti-aligned with) this direction will be referred to as axial. Circumferential directions are those which lie on or in the side wall and extend around the cavity.
The holder and the cavity are both usually generally cylindrical, but in some cases one or other (or both) may be a different shape. In general, the opening and/or the collar is/are therefore circular.
The collar defines an aperture and is adjustable to adapt the size of the aperture to the size of a particular beverage container. That is to say, the collar provides an adjustable aperture, which is selectively adjustable to restrict the effective size of the opening. The collar is therefore adjustable (leading to a change in the aperture size) while the opening is defined by the side wall and is not itself directly adjustable, it is simply partially obstructed by the collar with the extent of such obstruction being determined by the size of the aperture in the collar. Note that in some examples the widest of configurations of the collar may cause substantially no obstruction of the opening.
For example, by matching the shape and size of the aperture to the outer surface of the beverage container in question (as e.g. a first size of container in the first configuration), the holder is easily adapted to that type of beverage container. A user can insert a first size of beverage container, drink from it until it is empty and remove that container. Should the user wish to have a second beverage from a container of the same shape and size, it is a simple matter for them to simply replace the empty container with a new, full container, secure in the knowledge that the holder is already adapted to receive beverage containers of that type.
On the other hand, in the event that the user wishes to drink from a beverage container of a different size, either the new container will be too large to fit into the aperture in the collar or the collar will be too large to contact the container. With a simple adjustment (e.g. to the second configuration), the user can adjust the collar to once again contact the outer surface of the new size of beverage container.
In either case, the collar contacting the outer surface of the first or second size of beverage container in the first or second configuration respectively provides inhibition of heat flow by conduction, convection and/or radiation, thereby helping to maintain the beverage at the desired temperature.
Of course, other secondary benefits exist. For example, the user may prefer to loosen the aperture (e.g. set the collar to the first configuration) to ease insertion or removal of a beverage container to through the widened aperture. The collar can then be set to e.g. the second configuration when the beverage container is inserted into the cavity, in order to contact the beverage container and restrict heat flow between the cavity and the outside environment.
This allows a single holder to be used with at least two sizes of beverage container, although as discussed below a single holder may be appropriate for more than two sizes of container. Indeed, in many cases, a single holder may be suitable for any sized container within a given range of sizes. This allows a user to set the collar to the desired size and continue to replace beverage container of the same size as often as desired with no adjustment at all. They can also replace empty beverage containers with full ones of a different size by making a simple adjustment to the collar.
The collar is arranged to restrict the opening in the second configuration by narrowing the aperture defined by the collar. In other words, the collar is at its widest in the first configuration and is narrower in the second . Where the holder is generally cylindrical and the collar is circular, then the constriction of the opening generally includes the collar forming a circular shape of smaller radius in the second configuration than in the first configuration. In both configurations, the circular collar is usually centred on the cylinder's axis.
The collar is arranged to contact beverage containers towards the upper portion of a particular beverage container, which results in the bulk of the volume of the beverage container (and therefore also most of the beverage itself) being enclosed within the cavity. A portion of the beverage container may nevertheless protrude outward from the opening to allow a user to drink from the beverage container in the usual manner.
As noted above, in some cases the collar is circular or is shaped as a portion or arc of a circle. For the avoidance of doubt, as used herein “circular” includes shapes derivable from small deformations of circles, and therefore includes rounded shapes such as ellipses and ovoid shapes. Ellipses with an eccentricity of 0.3 or lower are included within this definition of circular. More generally, the opening and/or the collar may be shaped so as to have no corners, that is to be generally rounded and formed only of smooth curves. These shapes not only allow the collar and the opening to conform to the circular cross-section commonly seen in beverage containers, but in avoiding sharp corners can help the collar to contract uniformly and thereby allow the collar to contact the beverage container in a smooth manner, without becoming distorted or ruffled.
Generally, the collar is the same general shape in first and second (and intermediate) configurations, but in some cases the transition process may cause the shape to distort between the two configurations. Of course, even where the collar is the same shape, the second configuration restricts the size of the opening, so the collar is a smaller size in the second configuration, relative to the first configuration.
As noted above beverage containers are provided in a variety of standard dimensions and the size of the collar in the first and second configurations can be selected to conform to these dimensions. That is, to constrict the opening sufficiently to contact the outer surface of the first or second size of beverage container in the first or second configurations, respectively. To conform with this, the collar may have an internal dimension of between 50 mm and 75 mm at its widest part in both of the first and second configurations (with the internal diameter of the second configuration being smaller than the internal diameter of the first configuration). For example, the first configuration may have an internal diameter of 75 mm or slightly narrower to allow any of the standard sized bottles or cans to be inserted into the cavity (and optionally contacted or even gripped). The second configuration may have an internal diameter of 50 mm or slightly wider to allow the smallest of standard bottles or cans to be contacted (and optionally gripped) by the collar.
As used herein “internal diameter” means the distance from a point on the inner edge of the collar to an opposed point on the inner edge of other side of the collar. As noted, the distance is measured at the widest part of the aperture defined by the collar, which is to say the internal diameter as set out above which gives the largest value. For circular collars, this is simply the diameter, for elliptical collars, this is the major axis. For square collars, this would represent a diagonal taken across opposed corners.
In some cases, as discussed below in more detail, the holder may be provided with multiple interchangeable collars. In such an example the collars can be selected to span the range above in an overlapping manner. For example, a large collar may transition between a first configuration of 75 mm internal diameter and a second configuration of 65 mm internal diameter. A medium collar may transition between internal diameters of 57 mm and 67 mm, and a small collar may transition between internal diameters of 60 mm and 50 mm. Other example dimensions to span the range will be apparent to workers in the relevant technical field. For example, the range may be spanned by a different number of collars, such as two to eight collars. In some cases, the collars may have maximum or minimum dimensions outside of the range 50 mm to 75 mm, for example to accommodate non-standard beverage container sizes.
The collar may extend substantially around the opening. That is, the collar may extend around the opening for a full 360° circuit, or for a full circumferential circuit. In some cases, the collar may extend circumferentially around at least 75% of the opening, in other cases, at least 90% or even 95%.
The collar may be arranged to form a seal at least part way around an outer surface of the beverage container, when adjusted to an appropriate size for contacting the beverage container.
Whether or not the seal extends around the entire circumference of the opening, the collar may be arranged to form a seal which is discontinuous around the outer surface of the beverage container, e.g. formed as several separate pieces circumferentially spaced around the opening. In other cases, the seal may be continuous (i.e. a single piece) and airtight, thereby strongly inhibiting convective heat flow between the environment and the cavity.
Note the adjustable nature of the collar allows the seal to extend around the beverage container, since it is not a problem if a partial vacuum forms within the cavity. A partial vacuum may form when a cold beverage container is inserted, and a full seal is formed. The cold beverage container could then cool the air in the cavity and reduce the pressure. This in turn would prevent the container from being pulled out of the cavity, even when the container is empty, and the user wishes to replace it. Not only is this problem solved by providing a collar which can be transitioned to a wider configuration thereby equalising the pressure and allowing removal of the beverage container, but the partial vacuum may help hold the beverage container in the holder and reduce the risk of the container slipping out during drinking.
In cases where a hot beverage is used, the situation is reversed, and it may be preferable to use a discontinuous seal to allow pressure to equalise. In any case, the adjustable nature of the collar can be used to increase the aperture size slightly to prevent a full seal forming, if desired.
The cavity is shaped and sized to allow various standard sizes of beverage container to fit inside. For example, it is common for beverages to be supplied in cans having a range of diameters between about 53 mm and about 66 mm, more specifically between about 53.3 mm and 66.2 mm. The height of these cans also varies between about 111 mm and 194 mm, more specifically between about 111.2 mm and 193.7 mm.
The holder may also be adapted to hold beverage containers in the form of bottles. Typical sizes for bottles range between about 53 mm and about 66 mm, more specifically between about 53.3 mm and 66.2 mm in diameter. The height of these bottles also varies between about 220 mm and 250 mm, more specifically between about 218 mm and 246.5 mm. In addition, bottles tend to have a non-uniform profile in which the bulk of the volume exists in a lower body portion, with a thinner upper portion (called the neck) being provided for assisting in pouring and/or drinking. For this reason, the collar may be arranged to contact the bottle at or near the region where the body transitions to the neck, sometimes called the shoulder if the bottle.
The holder may further comprise an actuator movable relative to the side wall arranged to cause the collar to transition between the first configuration and the second configuration. This provides a convenient way for the user to alter the configuration of the collar. The actuator may be movable relative to the side wall in a rotational and/or an axial direction. This allows for an intuitive operation of the collar. Where both rotation and axial motion are used, the actuator can include a screw thread. Other examples may include only pushing or only rotating (and locking or clipping in place once the collar has transitioned between configurations).
Where the actuator motion includes axial motion, it can press downward on the collar and cause it to flex outward, for example, by squeezing the collar between a part of the actuator and an internal shoulder.
The motion of the actuator may cause the collar to transition continuously between the first and second configurations. In doing so, the collar may pass through a series of intermediate configurations.
The motion of the actuator may be graduated, and the graduated motion may correspond to one or more intermediate configurations of the collar between the first and second configurations. For example, the motion of the actuator may be controlled with one or more detents to indicate desired intermediate positions. Each intermediate position may advantageously correspond to the collar contacting a container of a particular size. In this way, one collar can be arranged to contact a number of different container sizes.
In other examples, the motion of the actuator may be stiff enough that it can rest securely at any intermediate position (corresponding to a collar having an internal diameter between that which it has in the first configuration and that which it has in the second configuration). In such a continuously adjustable system, the actuator may be provided with a series of alignment markings to indicate when the actuator is in an appropriate position to contact beverage containers of particular sizes (e.g. commonly encountered container sizes). The markings can be pictures, numbers, words, or combinations thereof. For example, the markings may refer to “large can”, “normal can”, “slim can”, tall bottle, etc. to provide an indication to a user of a suitable setting for the beverage container they are seeking to insert. Pictures could also be used to indicate aperture sizes of the intended beverage container. Alternatively, numbers could be used, either measuring the diameter of the aperture in mm, cm, inches, etc. or as a scale from 1 to 10, whereby a user learns or is instructed which number is most appropriate for a given container type.
In some examples, the actuator is selectively lockable at least one position, the at least one position corresponding to the first configuration, the second configuration or to an intermediate configuration of the adjustable collar. This can allow a user to ensure that the collar remains in the contacting position for the beverage they are enjoying at that time. For example, the actuator may be configurable in a free mode in which it can be freely moved to set the internal diameter of the aperture in the collar, and a locked configuration in which the actuator cannot move, and the aperture internal diameter is fixed, at least until the actuator is unlocked.
The collar may comprise a strip of flexible material. This is a simple collar, but one which may easily be tailored to produce the desired effect.
The collar in the form of a strip of flexible material may be arranged to lie substantially along an internal wall of the cavity in the first configuration and a portion of the collar may be deflected away from an internal surface of the side wall in the second configuration. This deflection causes a constriction of the aperture and allows the beverage container to be contacted. When the collar lies flat against the wall, the aperture is larger, which allows the holder to be used with wider beverage containers and may also assist in removal and insertion of beverage containers by allowing a user to break contact (and optionally gripping) between he collar and the beverage container. The flexible strip of material may have elastic properties, so that it biases itself towards the first configuration. This means that the actuator need only force the collar into the second configuration, it need not force it back into the first configuration. That is the actuator can be arranged to exert e.g. only a push force and need not also pull.
By “lie substantially along”, it is meant that the strip of material lies as flat as possible against the internal surface of the side wall, given the material and dimensions.
In the second configuration, a pair of opposed edges of the strip may remain adjacent to the internal wall and an intermediate portion of the strip may curve away from the internal wall. This forces the flexible strip into a “C” shape in cross section. The edges remain in contact with the side wall, thereby forming a stable arrangement and the central portion extends towards the centre of the opening to contact the beverage container. The central portion is located between the two edges, and the edges run broadly circumferentially around the inner surface of the side wall (in other words around the opening), with one edge being an upper edge, nearest the rim of the opening and the other edge being a lower edge, located nearest the base of the holder. One or both of the edges may be joined to the side wall and/or the actuator. For example, the motion of the actuator may be to press the upper of the two edges towards the base of the holder. The lower of the two edges may be prevented from moving toward the base by a shoulder supporting it, and/or by being fixed to the side wall. The downward force on the upper of the two edges thereby forces the central portion of the strip to flex outward and constrict the aperture.
In other examples just one edge may flex outward when actuated by the actuator. For example, the lower edge may once again be fixed in place and the actuator may be wedge shaped in profile and act to force the upper edge away from the side wall and cause a constriction of the aperture with the innermost part of the collar being the upper edge. Where the collar is fixed to the actuator, the situation may be reversed, e.g. the lower edge may be forced against a tapered internal shoulder which acts to force the lower edge away from the side wall and leads to a constriction of the aperture with the innermost portion of the collar being the lower edge this time.
In yet further examples, the first and second configurations may comprise a pair of opposed edges of the strip remaining adjacent to the internal wall and an intermediate portion of the strip curving away from the internal wall, forcing the flexible strip into a “C” shape in cross section. The difference between the two configurations is seen in the degree of curvature of the “C” shape with the second configuration having a flatter and wider “C” shape than the first configuration has. In this case, the first configuration may be one in which the collar does not lie substantially along the internal surface of the side wall but is in any case on average closer to the wall than is seen in the second configuration.
The adjustable collar may include one or more indents, creases, or perforations. This can encourage the collar to flex in a desired location or simply allow the collar to constrict the opening without ruffling and/becoming damaged.
The collar may retain its angular position relative to the side wall during transitions between the first and second configurations in some examples. In other examples, the collar is rotationally affixed to the actuator and rotates with the actuator, relative to the side wall. This can help ensure that the collar does not twist in cases where the actuator moves relative to the side wall in a rotational manner to actuate the collar.
In any case the collar, where it is a strip as in the example above, rotates as a single element, meaning that its upper and lower edges remain rotationally aligned with one another and the strip is not twisted during the transition. This can help to ensure that the deformation of the collar results only in narrowing and does not strain the collar in twisting it in undesirable ways.
Also disclosed herein is a device adapted to hold a beverage container having any size within a range of sizes, the device comprising: a base; a side wall extending away from the base and defining an opening through which the beverage container is receivable into a cavity defined by the base and the side wall; and a pliable collar spaced away from the base and located within the cavity, the collar extending inwardly into the cavity and having an aperture through which the beverage container is insertable such that the collar deforms to cause an inner edge of the aperture to contact and grip the beverage container; wherein the opening has a first width, the aperture of the collar has a second width, the second width being smaller than the first width and wherein the first width is selected to be larger than the diameter of the largest beverage container in the range of sizes and the second width is selected to be smaller than the smallest beverage container in the range of sizes.
In some cases, a ratio of the second width to the first width is less than or equal to 0.9. That is to say the ratio, r, may in some cases satisfy 0.85≤r<0.95, in other cases, this may be interpreted as meaning 0.895≤r<0.905. In other examples, the first width is larger than one of:66.2 mm, 64.1 mm, 63.5 mm, 60.7 mm, 59.3 mm, 58.1 mm, 57.5 mm, or 56.1 mm, and the second width is smaller than 64.1 mm, 63.5 mm, 60.7 mm, 59.3 mm, 58.1 mm, 57.5 mm, 56.1 mm, or 53.3 mm. As will be apparent from other parts of this application, the choice of these values ensures that the largest beverage container in the range of sizes will fit through the opening and the smallest beverage container in the range of sizes will be contacted and/or gripped by the collar. Note that the various combinations of sizes from the lists given above allows for adjacent sizes of commonly found beverage containers to be accommodated, or by selecting upper and lower ranges spaced further apart in the list, the range of sizes can be expanded to encompass three or more container sizes.
This device is able to receive beverage containers of any size (within the preselected range) by virtue of the pliable collar, which is able to deform to contact and grip the outer surface of the container. This means that a single device can be used to hold a range of container sizes. This in turn is beneficial as it simplifies operation for a user and represents a more efficient use of resources as only one collar size need be purchased and supplied. In principle the collar can be used to contact a wide range of container sizes, assuming that it is able to deform enough to grip the wider ones, and that the aperture is small enough to allow smaller containers to be contacted. In some cases the stiffness of the collar may be selected based on the range of beverage containers intended to be accommodated, with collars designed for a larger range of intended beverage containers (i.e. those intended to deform the most when the largest size of container is inserted) being less stiff to allow the required amount of deformation to occur without inducing undue strain on the collar or excessive pressure being exerted on the beverage container.
The collar is pliable, that is to say formed from an elastic material so that the collar can stretch and deform to allow the beverage container to be inserted, and which evens out strains in the collar. This helps to hold the beverage container centrally within the aperture since off centre location of the beverage container strains the collar unevenly, causing uneven forces to be applied to different sides of the container and bring the container back to an arrangement where it is located in the centre of the aperture, via the elastic interaction. This also spreads out the force on the beverage container and can help to avoid buckling or other damage caused by excessive build-up of force.
Where it is stated that the collar deforms, specifically this means that an inner edge of the aperture deforms while the outer edge (adjacent to the side wall) remains in substantially the same position and shape. The deformation takes the form of the collar being pushed downward into the cavity (towards the base) and the inner edge stretching to fit the width of the beverage container, as the beverage container is pressed into the cavity, through the aperture. The inner edge of the aperture may sometimes be referred to as the perimeter of the aperture. The deformation of the collar in this way can reduce or eliminate convective heat flow into or out of the cavity by forming a full or partial air seal. Even partial seals can disrupt air flow by acting like a baffle and reduce the convective processes which can hasten the beverage container's return to ambient temperature.
The range of sizes ranges from a largest intended size of beverage container and a smallest intended size of beverage container. The width of the opening places a physical upper limit on the size of container which could be inserted since nothing wider than this will fit into the cavity. Similarly, it is apparent that the collar will not operate correctly if a beverage container smaller than the aperture is inserted, since the container will be able to pass through the aperture without being gripped. The upper and lower ends of the range may be selected to encompass all beverage containers of standard sizes, or only a subset of this range in some examples. For example, there may be provided a “large container” version of the device covering the upper end of the range and a “small container” version of the device covering the lower end of the range. In other examples, different versions may be adapted to different classes of beverage container, for example a “bottles” version and a “cans” version, wherein the collar material properties may be adapted to best deform for and grip glass and aluminium or steel respectively.
Where the opening is referred to as having a width, this means the narrowest width between an open end of the side wall and the collar, in cases where the internal surface of the side wall is not flush, but has different widths at different axial locations. In other words, there may be circumferential recesses or protrusions in the internal surface of the side wall, and the width is then defined as the narrowest such portion, since it is the narrowest portion which limits the size of container which can be inserted into the device. Advantageously, the width of the narrowest portion between the open end of the side wall and the collar may be selected to be no wider than the narrowest portion of the cavity between the collar and the base, thereby providing an indication to a user of the maximum size of container which can be inserted into the device. Since the parts of the cavity between the collar and the base are usually not visible to a user (at least not clearly), this arrangement can help a user gauge whether a given container will fit without expending unnecessary effort.
For the avoidance of doubt, the ratio of the first width to the second width is calculated as the width of the aperture divided by the width of the opening. While the above discussion sets out that this ratio may be 0.9 or lower, in some cases, the ratio may be much lower than this. In fact, as long as an aperture exists, there is no real lower limit on this value, although it becomes progressively harder to insert large containers into ever smaller cavities. In conjunction with an effective lower limit on the size of containers means that it is rare for a ratio lower than about 0.3 to be desirable or necessary. In fact, most standard beverage containers can be received in devices having an appropriately chosen opening width (e.g. about 73 mm or 75 mm) and a ratio of about 0.65 to 0.7, as will be apparent from the detailed discussion below. In any event, it is this ratio which determines the range of sizes of beverage container which the device is adapted to receive.
On the other hand, the ratio of 0.9 or lower ensures that the device is able to receive at least two different standard sizes of container, since the relative change in width between consecutive standard beverage container sizes is usually less than 10%. It will be apparent that smaller values for this ratio are associated with larger ranges of beverage container sizes which can be received in the device in the intended manner—i.e. with the collar deforming to grip and contact the outer surface of any size of container between a smallest and largest intended size of container. Wider containers deform any given collar more than smaller ones, when inserted through the aperture.
Another way to think of this ratio is that the collar occupies at least about 19% of the cross-sectional area of the cavity (for cavities which are approximately cylindrical and having generally annular collars). For the lower limit of the width ratio suggested above, the collar would occupy about 91% of the cross-sectional area of the cavity where the cavity is cylindrical, and the collar is annular. Other shapes for collars and cavities may lead to different area ratios.
As used herein “width” (or sometimes “size”) means generally the distance from a point on the inner edge of the aperture in the collar to an opposed point on the inner edge of the opposite side of the collar (or equivalently from a point on the inner edge of the opening to an opposed point on the inner edge of the opposite side of the opening). For circular collars/openings, this is simply the diameter of the circle. For non-circular shapes, the different roles played by the aperture and the opening lead to the following definition. The opening operates to set an upper limit on the size of container which can be received, meaning that the main dimension if interest in characterising the opening is the shortest distance across the opening (suitably qualified), as this will ultimately limit the size of container which can be received. Similarly, the aperture sets a lower limit, but will operate as long as it is able to contact and grip a container. Therefore, once more the shortest distance across the aperture (again, suitably qualified) is the dimension of interest in determining whether a particular example will operate as intended. Consequently, in non-circular shapes the width refers to a distance measured between a point on the opening/aperture through the centroid of the opening/aperture (respectively) to the other side of the opening/aperture. As this gives many possible widths depending on the starting and finish points of the measurement, the width as used herein shall be the shortest distance possible to measure in this way. For elliptical collars/openings, this is the minor axis of the ellipse. For square collars, this would represent the side length of the square, and so forth. In general, it is preferable not to have sharp corners in the shape of the aperture as these can be regions in which force concentrates and may lead to tearing.
When used, the beverage container is generally inserted/insertable along a central axis of the cavity and/or aperture, meaning an axis which is generally perpendicular to the base and/or generally parallel to the direction in which the side wall extends away from the base, and which passes through the centroid of the aperture and/or the opening.
The collar is located within the cavity, meaning that the opening exists at the end of the side wall furthest from the base, such that the side wall forms a rim of the opening and the collar is located wither at the rim or between the rim and the base. The collar extends inwardly towards the central axis of the cavity. This can mean that the collar is connected to the side wall and extends inwardly from the side wall. In other examples, the collar may not be connected to the side wall but may instead be attached to a removable lid. In any case, the collar is located with an outer part adjacent to the side wall (even if it is not connected/touching), and an inner part defining the aperture.
The base may be closed or in some cases may have through holes or perforations therethrough. These can be used to allow condensation drainage out of the base and/or to allow pressure equalisation to occur in cases where a hot/cold beverage container would otherwise cause air in the cavity to expand/contract.
Also disclosed herein is a device adapted to hold a beverage container having any size within a range of sizes, the device comprising: a base; a side wall extending away from the base and defining an opening through which the beverage container is receivable into a cavity defined by the base and the side wall; and a pliable collar spaced away from the base and located within the cavity, the collar extending inwardly into the cavity and having an aperture through which the beverage container is insertable such that the collar deforms to cause an inner edge of the aperture to contact and grip around an entire circumference of the beverage container. In such a device the collar and/or the base may have through holes to assist in equalising pressure between the cavity and the surrounding environment. This arrangement can provide a good level of thermal isolation for the cavity (and also therefore for the beverage container within the cavity. In addition, designs which utilise through holes provide a balance between thermal isolation and relieving pressure differentials. As above, in such examples, the opening may have a first width selected to allow the largest size of container in the range of sizes to be inserted and the aperture of the collar may have a second width selected to still grip the smallest size of container in the range of sizes. The second width is smaller than the first width and in some cases, the ratio of the second width to the first width is less than or equal to 0.9.
Optionally the collar has a generally planar form. Optionally, the collar extends generally perpendicularly inwardly from the side wall. This arrangement is the case when no beverage container is received through the aperture. In other words, this is the arrangement in the undeformed shape. These each help ensure that when the beverage container contacts the collar, being inserted along a central axis of the cavity (as defined above), the beverage container contacts the collar at all locations around the collar at broadly the same time, and thereby deforms the collar equally around its circumference and prevents over stressing of the collar at any particular location.
Optionally, the inner edge of the collar is thicker than parts of the collar closer to the side wall. That is to say that the inner edge of the collar may be at least 1.2 times as thick, and in some cases about 1.5 or even 2 times as thick, as the parts of the collar closer to the side wall than the inner edge is. This provides a good degree of resilience to the inner edge which bears the brunt of the wear and tear from the deformation of the collar to receive the beverage container. It is not necessary to make this portion unduly thick, however, as this can lead to excessive forces being exerted on the beverage container by the collar. Where the beverage container is a can, this can result in denting or crushing the can. The values of more than 1.5, and about 2, times the normal collar thickness (itself usually around 1 mm to 1.5 mm thick) has been found to provide a good balance between resilience and safety.
Optionally the collar includes one or more perforations extending through the collar. These perforations are typically fully surrounded by collar material, that is to say that each perforation is a hole through the collar which does not extend to the side wall or the aperture. The perforations may have a size of between 1 mm and 5 mm diameter, for example about 3 mm in diameter. These perforations allow air pressure to equalise on each side of the collar, but do not allow significant convective heat transfer. The air pressure equalisation helps ensure that drinks which are substantially hotter or colder than the outside environment do not cause air pressure inside the cavity to (respectively) rise or fall. By allowing this equalisation, the beverage container can be safely and conveniently retained in the cavity while a user is drinking and removed when empty.
Optionally, the collar is arranged to form a seal at least part way around an outer surface of the beverage container, optionally wherein the collar is arranged to form a seal all the way around an outer surface of the beverage container. By all the way around it is meant that a full circumference of the outer surface of the beverage container is in contact with the collar. This allows any warmth or coldness of the beverage to be retained in the cavity, thereby retaining the beverage at its intended temperature, by preventing convective heat transfer out through the opening.
Optionally the cavity and the aperture have the same general shape as one another, when viewed in the direction of insertion of the beverage container, optionally wherein the cavity is cylindrical, and the collar is annular. In other words, the collar may be a ring-shape bounded by two circles, optionally where the circles are concentric. This allows the collar to be naturally fit to most standard sizes of beverage container, since most standard sizes of container are generally cylindrical, at least for the part of the container which the present device is arranged to grip.
Optionally the width of the aperture is less than 50 mm, optionally the width of the aperture is greater than 40 mm, wherein the width of the aperture is about 45 mm. In some examples the aperture may have a width of about 44.6 mm. These widths (in line with the above discussion on aperture width in this device) allow for the smallest standard sized beverage containers to be gripped by the collar—for example slim cans have a body diameter of about 53.3 mm, meaning that there will be deformation and gripping of even these small cans with the above aperture widths. Of course, in some cases, a larger aperture may be desirable to adapt the collar to only the upper end of the range of beverage containers, for example an aperture of around 63 mm may be suitable for gripping beverage containers towards the larger end of the range of standard sizes only.
Optionally the width of the opening is greater than 55 mm, optionally the width of the opening is at least 70 mm, optionally the width of the opening is about 73 mm, or even about 75 mm. In some cases, the opening may be about 65 mm (and the aperture and collar will usually be correspondingly smaller as well to account for this reduced opening size).
Optionally an internal surface of the side wall has an internal shoulder to provide a recess for receiving the collar as the collar deforms as the beverage container is inserted through the aperture into the cavity. This space allows the collar to deflect as far as needed to fit even the largest beverage container into the cavity, without the collar providing undue resistance to insertion, as the recess prevents a large surface area of the collar being forced into contact with the outer surface of the beverage container and thereby provide a large resistance to insertion or removal of the beverage container into/out of the cavity. In such examples, the collar may therefore be wider in total than the opening, as the outermost portion of the collar is located further away from the central axis of the cavity than the rim of the opening is.
There may also be a corresponding recess formed above the collar in some examples, that is located between the collar and the open end of the side wall. As noted above, the side wall may include circumferential protrusions and recesses. In other words, the side wall may not be cylindrical or otherwise have side walls which extend perpendicularly and linearly from the base, but which vary their width (or cross-sectional area) along the length of the side wall between the base and the open end of the side wall. In such cases, a recess may be formed in the side wall between the collar and the open end of the side wall which provides a space into which the collar can fold as the collar is forced upwards when the beverage container is removed—similar to the deformation of the collar when the beverage container is inserted, but inverted, since the gripping of the beverage container means that the inner edge of the collar is dragged upwards, towards the open end of the side wall, as the beverage container is removed from the device.
This recess operates very similarly to the shoulder and recess below the collar (described above) in that the recess provides space for the collar to fold up into, so that the collar is not forced to lie along the beverage container with a large surface area of contact. This reduces friction and allows the beverage container to be removed from the device without the user needing to exert too great a force. Providing recesses in this way (whether above or below the collar) is particularly suitable for devices which are intended to accommodate wide ranges of acceptable sizes of beverage container because the collars of such devices are (relatively) large and include a lot of material. These large collars are more prone to bunching and resisting the insertion and extraction of beverage containers, particularly where the beverage container is towards the upper end of the range of sizes of containers for which the device is designed.
In general, it will be appreciated that features described in relation to the two variant devices described above may be applied to the other variant, in particular those relating to the structure of the base and the side wall, or to internal features of the cavity. Specifically, the following features apply to each of the two variants.
The collar may extend substantially around an internal surface of the side wall. This helps provide stability to the collar which can itself interface with broadly a full circumference of an outer surface of the beverage container, by allowing the collar to connect to, or otherwise be supported by the side wall for a full circumference.
The collar may be generally parallel with the base. That is, the collar may be arranged with its lower edge a fixed distance from the base around the whole inner circumference of the side wall at the location of the collar. Similarly, the collar may be generally parallel with the opening, that is to say that the collar may be arranged with its upper edge a fixed distance from the opening around the whole inner circumference of the side wall at the location of the collar. For planar collars, the plane of the collar may be generally parallel with the base.
In some examples the collar is provided on a replaceable cap, which can assist in removing the beverage container, and also in accessing the cavity, e.g. for cleaning or insertion, replacement, inversion and/or removal of inserts. In such cases, the cap does not cover the full container, rather the upper portion of the holder which houses the collar is removable, replaceable and/or reversibly attachable.
In some cases, a plurality of replaceable caps may be provided, each cap having a differently sized collar. This allows a series of collars to be used depending on the desired size of beverage container. In yet further examples a taller cap may be used to accommodate a taller container.
In some cases, the collar itself is removable from the removable cap. This can allow a collar adapted for different ranges of beverage container size to be supplied and easily fit to a single cap (assuming that the opening in the cap is large enough to fit the largest container, of course. A user can even replace the collar entirely, if it tears, for example meaning that there is less wastage as most of the device or holder can be reused.
In some cases, the collar has a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage containers which it contacts. For example, the collar may be made from rough material such as rubber, or it may have a textured, knurled, etc contacting surface to improve grip. This can help ensure that the beverage container remains within the holder while a user is drinking. In some examples, the collar may comprise a plastic or rubber material, for example it may include natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, silicone rubbers, thermoplastic polyurethane or the like, or any combination thereof, which can provide the desired flexibility and resilience, and can also optionally be adapted to grip the beverage containers, and tend to have excellent thermal insulation properties.
Whichever material the collar is made from, the collar may have a Shore durometer hardness of 25 Shore A to 90 Shore A, preferably between 40 Shore A and 70 Shore A, most preferably about 50 Shore A. In certain examples the collar material may have a durometer hardness of about 55 Shore A.
The base provides a support to hold the weight of the bottle and retain it within the holder. The base is usually a closed base, but in some cases may have one or more through holes.
The interior of the cavity may have a shoulder arranged to contact a base of the beverage container in some examples. The shoulder can be an annular structure or a series of discontinuous platforms within the cavity. This can allow the distance along the side wall between the collar and the plane at which the beverage container is supported to be tailored to particular shapes and sizes of beverage container. Indeed, in some cases there may be multiple internal shoulders within the cavity, each positioned and sized to ensure that a particular beverage container format will align with the collar at an appropriate point on the beverage container (usually near the top of cans and near the shoulder of bottles).
In order to achieve this, concepts of interest include the distance from the base of the beverage container at which the collar is intended to contact it and the diameter of the lowest part of the beverage container. The shoulder should extend radially inward from the side wall a distance which ensures that it will support the base of the container (e.g. where the shoulder is annular, it has an inner diameter less than the diameter of the part of the beverage container intended to be supported). The upper surface of the shoulder should be located a distance from the collar which is equal to the distance from the base of the beverage container to the region at which the collar is intended to contact the beverage container.
By following these concepts, it may be possible to nest a series of shoulders to form a stepped arrangement inside the cavity. This arrangement would allow a series of containers to be correctly inserted into the holder. Starting with a tall thin container which could rest on the base of the cavity and fit inside the central hole of one or more annular shoulders, progressively wider and shorter containers could be supported by successive annular stepped shoulders. This broadens the range of containers for which the holder is suitable.
In other cases, a series of removable and replaceable shoulders of different sizes can be included. In fact, where the shoulder is intended to be used with a single container type, there is no need to make it annular and instead a simple spacer could be provided in the form of a support column having a cross-sectional shape matched to the internal cross section of the cavity and a thickness tailored to the specific container type in accordance with the above concepts.
Advantageously the removable shoulders could further include a material for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity. Indeed, the holder itself may include a material in thermal contact with the interior of the cavity for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity in some examples.
For example, a phase change material or other material with high heat capacity could be provided in the cavity or in a removable insert. The material could then be heated up and used to ensure that hot drinks remain hot or cooled down to ensure that cold drinks remain cold (as the case may be).
Optionally the device further includes a removable insert insertable into the cavity prior to the beverage container being received in the cavity, to contact a lower end of the beverage container and space the beverage container away from the base. In other words, the insert can be used to change the height at which the collar interacts with the beverage container, similarly to the concepts discussed above in view of the shoulders provided in the cavity for contacting the base of then beverage container.
Optionally, the insert is U-shaped in profile to selectively allow insertion in two orientations, each orientation spacing the lower end of the beverage container a different distance from the base. In other words, the insert can be removed, inverted, and reinserted to select the desired distance between the collar and the place inside the cavity that the lowest point of the beverage container will rest on. In some examples the vertical walls of the U-shaped section are arranged to hold the beverage container centrally within the cavity. In other words, the insert forms a cap around the lower end of the beverage container, spacing the beverage container apart from the side wall of the cavity. This provides two points of contact which hold the beverage container centrally—the insert and the collar, thereby improving the stability of the holding.
In fact, since the insert can be inserted in two orientations (U-shaped in profile; ∩-shaped in profile) or removed from the cavity entirely, there are correspondingly three possible distances available between the collar and the place inside the cavity that the lowest point of the beverage container will rest on (the base, or one of the two faces of the insert).
Optionally, the insert has grooves in at least one surface for interfacing with the lower end of the beverage container. These grooves may be provided to grip or hold the base of the beverage container centrally, for example by interfacing with features on the base of the beverage container. In some examples, the base of the cavity may have such grooves instead or as well as the insert having them. These may again help to hold the beverage container centrally and firmly in place.
The side wall and/or the base may comprise rigid plastic and/or metal. For example, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, various steels, and brass (and combinations thereof) would all be suitable materials. The base and/or the side wall may be are hollow and include insulating means. For example, vacuum, aerogel, fibrous insulation and the like may all be used. This can help maintain the temperature of the beverage within the container.
In some cases, the holder further includes a bottle opener mounted in an exterior surface of the base. This may be either detachable or fixed in place. In any event this allows a user to ensure that they can open a bottle (e.g. a crown cork) at any time in which they wish to use the holder to hold a bottled beverage.
In some cases, the holder may further comprise ergonomic grips on an exterior surface of the side wall. for example, these may take the form of roughened or textured areas of material, indented portions, or indeed a material selected to provide grip such as rubber.
The disclosure also extends to a kit of parts, including a holder and/or device according to any the above examples and at least one replaceable shoulder, invertible insert, replaceable cap, and/or cooling or heating insert. Of course, multiple of any or each of these may also be provided as part of the kit.
In each of the examples above, the device is adapted to receive a beverage container into the cavity by passing through the opening and the collar. That is to say that a user can insert the beverage container into the cavity by pushing the beverage container through the opening and into the device, with the base of the beverage container going first, to place the beverage container inside the device, within the cavity. Many previous devices are designed to require the removal of a separable lid to insert the beverage container into the device, with the lid being subsequently attachable once the beverage container is within the device to secure the beverage container in place. The presently described arrangements, having either an adjustable collar or a flexible one, allows for a much simpler operation with fewer moving or removable parts, and thereby reduces the risk that a user will lose parts of the device.
Specific examples will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:
As shown in
An adjustable collar 110 is provided in the opening 108, near to the rim of the side wall 102. The adjustable collar 110 extends substantially around the opening 108, meaning that the collar 110 forms a roughly circular shape circumferentially around the internal surface of the side wall 102.
The adjustable collar 110 is shown in a first configuration in which it lies substantially along the interior of the side wall 102. This arrangement allows beverage containers to be inserted and removed with ease. In order to allow a wide variety of beverage containers to be inserted into the cavity, the cavity 114, the opening 108 and the collar 110 (in the first configuration) should be provided to be large enough to allow the beverage container to be inserted with ease. For example, this may mean that the opening 108, collar 110, and cavity all have an internal diameter which is at least as large as the beverage container, and preferably also have an annular clearance of at least 1 mm to 2 mm around the outer surface of the beverage container, to ensure that the user can easily insert and remove the beverage container. While the variety of beverage containers is in theory unlimited, in practice there is a degree of standardisation in the industry. The table below illustrates the dimensions of the most common containers. Based on this table, the collar 110 may be provided to be at least 73 mm, or at least 75 mm with clearance, in the first configuration. The second configuration (discussed in detail below) is one in which the collar 110 contacts the exterior surface of a beverage container. Based on the below table, this should be set to approximately the diameter of the container in question, or possibly a little smaller (1 mm to 2 mm smaller in diameter) than the container diameter to allow a degree of gripping. Again, noting the values in the table, the smallest container would imply a collar 110 diameter of 53.3 mm or around 51 mm if a gripping effect is to be provided. In some cases, the first configuration of the collar 110 may be just wide enough to contact or grip the largest beverage container. That is, in the first configuration, there may be no clearance between the outer surface of a particular beverage container and the collar 110.
The height column provides guidance for the height dimension of the internal cavity 114 (that is, the length of the side wall 102 between the base 104 and the opening 108). Generally, the collar 110 should be spaced apart from the internal surface of the base 104 by a distance which is shorter than the height of the beverage container intended to be received in the cavity 114. This allows the beverage container to protrude out of the top of the holder 100 which in turn can aid a user in drinking from the beverage container. For beverage holders which are cans, the protrusion may be only around 5 mm to 10 mm. For beverage holders which are bottles, the protrusion is usually somewhat larger than this as it is usually for the entire neck of the bottle to protrude. For bottles therefore, the protrusion may be closer to about 50 mm to 100 mm, depending on the exact bottle design. In any event, the table above, illustrating a small subset of the sizes of bottles and cans available on the market underscores the need for a single holder adapted to receive multiple sizes of container.
In some cases, in order to accommodate a wide range of beverage container types in a single holder, the collar 110 may be provided on a removable and replaceable cap, with a series of such caps being used to provide collars 110 of different maximum and minimum diameters (in the first and second configurations respectively). In addition, the caps may have a different height from one another, to allow the collar 110 to align correctly with the top regions of the intended beverage container. That is the cap may be used to space the collar 110 a desired distance from the base 102.
As noted below, the collar 110 may be adapted to operate with only a subset of container sizes. In this case, the collar 110 may have a diameter in each of the first and second configurations which lies in the range 50 mm to 75 mm (with the diameter in the second configuration having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the first configuration), without necessarily spanning the entirety of the 50 mm to 75 mm range. The dimensions provided in the above table are relevant for various aspects of the following discussion and should therefore be borne in mind in understanding and interpreting the principles of operation of the holder 100.
As can be seen in
The base 104 and the side wall 102 are formed from any suitable material, that is one which is rigid and durable enough to withstand repeated use as set out herein. Examples of suitable materials include steels as well as various plastics. In some cases, the base 104 and/or the side wall 102 is/are hollow and include insulating means, such as vacuum, aerogel, fibrous materials, or other insulating materials.
The exterior surface of the side wall 102 is provided with ergonomic grips 112 to assist a user in holding the holder 100 firmly, but comfortably. The grips may take the form of indents, textured, rough, or roughened material, for example, depending on the specific embodiment.
Turning now to
In
Since the bottle 116 is narrower than the opening 108, the collar 110 has been adjusted in
Where the new beverage container is the same shape and size as the previous beverage container 116, the previous beverage container 116 may be removed without adjusting the collar 110 at all. Similarly, the new beverage container 116 may be inserted into the cavity without adjusting the collar 110, leading to a very quick and simple process. Of course, a user may elect to loosen the collar 110 (i.e. transition from the second configuration back to the first configuration) to assist in either removal of the old beverage container 116 or insertion of the new one.
In cases where the new beverage container 116 is a different shape or size, the user will need to adjust the collar 110 to cause the collar 110 to contact the beverage container 116.
As above, this adjustment can be made at any point in the process which the user finds convenient.
As shown, the adjustable collar 110 comprises a strip of flexible material. As can be seen, the collar 110 is engaged with an actuator 118 located above the collar 110 (here “above” means close to the rim of the side wall 102, or further from the base 104). In this example the actuator 118 takes the form of an annular element which engages with the opening 108 using cooperating screw threads. Rotating the actuator 118 relative to the side wall 102 engages the cooperating screw threads and moves the lower edge of the actuator upwards or downwards depending on the direction of rotation. Here “below” and “lower” mean closer to the base 104, or further from the rim of the side wall 102. “Upwards” and “downwards” are to be construed accordingly.
Comparing
Although not expressly shown, the actuator 118 may have a graduated motion within the continuous transition region. In such cases, there may be one or more positions in which the actuator corresponds to specific diameters of the aperture in the collar 110. For example, as set out in the table above, it is clear that certain diameters are commonly used, and it would therefore be beneficial to allow a user to set the diameter of the collar 110 to match some or all of these diameters, by using the actuator 118. In order to assist in this, the actuator 118 may be provided with markings to indicate positions of the actuator 118 which correspond to particular diameters of the collar 110.
Additionally, or alternatively, the motion of the actuator 118 may be locally stable at particular intermediate positions (corresponding to common aperture diameters), by using detents or the like to allow a user to stably maintain a desired intermediate position of the actuator 118.
Additionally, or alternatively, the motion of the actuator 118 may be arranged in each of a free mode and a locked mode. In the free mode, the actuator 118 can freely move to change the diameter of the aperture of the collar 110. Once the desired level of constriction of the opening 108 has been achieved, the actuator 118 can be put into the locked mode, in which it is prevented from moving (and correspondingly the diameter of the collar 110 is also fixed). The diameter of the collar 110 can be changed again by returning the actuator 118 to the free mode and adjusting the collar 110 using the actuator 118 in the usual way.
The first and second configurations may also make use of any of the above means for retaining the actuator 118 and the collar 110 in position and/or notifying a user as to the current diameter of the aperture in the collar 110.
It will be apparent that the collar 110 is held in position relative to the side wall 102, and consequently the actuator 118 deforms the collar 110, but the collar 110 remains its angular alignment with the side wall 102. In other words, the actuator 118 does not drag the collar 110 around as the actuator 118 moves downward, thereby preventing the collar from becoming twisted and possibly damaged.
In other examples, the collar 110 may be fixed to the actuator 118 instead (see e.g.
In
In
It can be seen by comparing
Of course, while an actuator 118 is shown which is rotated by a user to actuate the adjustable collar 110 to cause a vertical motion, other actuators will be apparent which use only vertical or rotational motion to actuate the collar 110.
As the lower edge of the actuator 118 moves downward, it is arranged to engage the upper edge of the adjustable collar 110. It can be seen that the collar 110 is unable to move vertically (or axially) relative to the side wall 102 because the collar 110 is supported from below by a circumferential protrusion 120. The action of the actuator 118 moving downward presses the collar 110 against the circumferential protrusion 120 and causes it to bend inwardly towards the centre of the cavity 114.
In
More specifically the adjustable collar 110 lies substantially along an internal wall of the side wall 102 in the first configuration and as shown a central portion of the adjustable collar 110 is deflected away from the internal wall in the intermediate and second configurations. This arrangement results in the intermediate and second configurations having a pair of opposed edges of the collar 110 running circumferentially around the interior surface of the side wall 102 with a central portion of the collar 110 bowing inwardly into the cavity 114. This results in a double layer of the collar 110 being present between the cavity 114 and the outside environment. This in turn can lead to an improved insulating effect in terms of reducing conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfers between the cavity 114 and the outside environment. In other examples, only one edge of the collar 110 may be retained against the interior surface of the side wall 102. This advantageously allows a collar 110 of a given size to have a wider range of aperture diameters accessible to it, as the collar 110 is not doubled up in the second configuration, so can extend broadly twice as far towards the centre of the cavity 114.
When the beverage has been fully consumed, the steps above can be reversed to release the beverage container 116, thereby allowing its removal.
Turning now to
As noted above, the collar 110 is formed as a strip of flexible material. More specifically, the collar 110 is a strip joined at its ends to form a loop of flexible material, arranged to conform to the inner surface of the side wall 102. In the first configuration, shown at the top of the Figure, the collar 110 has a form which deviates only slightly from that of a straight-sided cylinder. More specifically, the collar 110 has a central portion (central in the axial direction, i.e. approximately half way up the collar 110) which bows slightly toward the central aperture 111. This slight inward bowing of the central portion helps to encourage the collar 110 to flex in the correct direction and manner when the upper and lower edges are squeezed between an actuator 118 and a circumferential support surface 120.
In the second configuration, shown at the bottom of the Figure, the collar has been pressed vertically by the actuator 118 (not shown) forcing the upper and lower edges of the collar 110 towards one another and causing a central portion of the collar 110 to bow inwardly towards the centre of the central aperture 111. In the second configuration, the collar 110 has the form a section of the innermost part of a torus.
The collar 110 may be formed of any suitable pliant material. For example, rubbers, elastic materials, or elastomers may all be used. In addition, the adjustable collar 110 may be provided with a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage container 116 when the adjustable collar is in the second configuration.
As shown in
As noted above, some examples of collars 110 may retain only one edge around the circumference of the opening 108 with the other edge forming the innermost portion. In such cases, the recessed features 122 may be located along the edge which is deflected towards the centre of the cavity 114, since this is the area which will experience the greatest compressive strain. In any case, the deformation to the second configuration tends to cause at least some parts of the collar 110 to undergo strain (e.g. compressive or tensile strain). This strain in turn biases the collar 110 towards the first configuration. This means that the collar 110 tends to spring back to the first configuration when a load is removed—e.g. when the actuator 118 is moved such that the actuator 118 no longer presses the collar 110 against the circumferential support 120 within the cavity 114.
Another effect of the recessed features 122 may be to provide a discontinuous seal around the external surface of the beverage container 116, for example to allow air pressure equalisation.
Turning now to
As can be seen, the holder 100 has an internal shoulder 124 arranged to provide support to beverage containers 116 exceeding a particular diameter at their base. For example,
In some cases, it may be possible to have a stepped internal arrangement in which a series of shoulders 124 are provided inside the cavity 114. The highest shoulder 124 would have the widest central gap and would be provided to support the base of the widest and shortest type of beverage container 116. The next shoulder 124 would have a less wide gap and would extend less far up the side wall 102 from the base 104 than the highest shoulder 124. This would support a beverage container 116 of intermediate width and intermediate height. As many shoulders 124 as desired could be included to accommodate beverage holders 116 which are progressively narrower and taller, with the narrowest and tallest beverage holder 116 resting on the internal surface of the base 104. In this way, a single holder 100 can be provided with the means to receive a wide range of different types of beverage container 116, and provide correct alignment between the collar 110 and each of the different types of beverage container 116, by carefully selecting the dimensions of the shoulders 124 carefully.
In some cases, a series of removable and replaceable shoulders 124 may be provided in order to allow a user to tailor the holder 100 to their preferred shape of beverage container 116. Advantageously, such removable shoulders 124 may include a material for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity 114. For example, phase change materials or materials with high heat capacity can be placed in a freezer or oven to cool or heat them. These materials can be placed in the cavity 114 to help maintain the cavity 114 (and thereby the beverage) at a reduced or elevated temperature.
In fact, the holder 100 may be provided with such materials in contact with the interior of the cavity 114 without aiming to provide the effect provided by the shoulders 124 at all.
Finally, turning to
The caps each have an actuator 118 and an opening 108. The openings 108, the height of each cap 128, and the distance below the opening 108 and the collar 110 can be varied for each replaceable cap 128 to provide a great degree of flexibility to a user in adapting their holder 100 to the types of beverage container 116 which they wish to drink from.
Similarly, the shoulders 124 can be provided with a range of internal diameters and heights to allow a user to adapt the cavity 114 to a variety of different beverage containers 116. The inserts 126 serve a dual purpose of spacing a beverage container 116 away from the base 104 and of providing cooling and/or heating to the cavity 114. A plurality of such inserts 126 may be provided so that e.g. a user can keep several in their freezer and replace the inserts 126 as they warm up with fresh, cool ones.
The user is thereby provided with a large amount of flexibility in assembling a holder 100 tailored to their specific needs. While this kit of parts is shown with a large number of options, it will be appreciated that a kit of parts may include just the holder 100 with two interchangeable modules of any type.
Consider now
The device 200 has a base 204 and a side wall 202, collectively defining a cavity 214. The cavity 214 is accessible through an opening 208 located at a rim of the side wall 202 and spaced apart from the base 204 by the length of the side wall 202. Inside the cavity 214 between the opening 208 and the base 204 is a pliable collar 210 formed from a flexible and deformable material. The collar 210 has an aperture 212 which encircles a central axis of the cavity (the central axis is indicated as a broken vertical line in
In use (and as shown in more detail in
In the present example the width of the aperture 212 is about 44.6 mm and the width of the opening 208 is about 73 mm, meaning that the ratio of the width of the aperture 212 to the width of the opening 208 is about 0.61, but it may be smaller than this in some examples, or as large as 0.9 in others. In general, the opening 208 is selected to be large than the largest diameter of beverage container 216 of the ranges of sizes intended to be accommodated by the device 200. Similarly the aperture 212 is selected, in general, to be smaller than the smallest diameter of beverage container 216 of the ranges of sizes intended to be accommodated by the device 200. The table set out above listing commonly used sizes may be used as a guide to select the specific sizes of the opening 208 and the aperture 212 for a specific use. For example to provide a device 200 which is specifically adapted to securely accommodate two or more specific sizes of beverage container. Note that the cavity 214 is slightly less wide than the opening 208—the cavity 214 having a width of about 70 mm. In this example the width of the cavity 214 also plays a role in limiting the maximum size of beverage container receivable in the device 200, but in some examples the cavity 214 is at least as wide as the opening 208, in which case it is the opening 208 alone which determines this upper limit. The sizes of the cavity 214, the aperture 212 and the opening 208 may be selected in accordance with the table above setting out the most common beverage container sizes, or in accordance with other known common sizes of beverage container.
In the example shown the device 200, side wall 202 and cavity 214 are all generally cylindrical, and the collar 210 is annular, having a circular aperture 212. This is to adapt the device 200 to the usual shape of standard container sizes—also broadly cylindrical—but it will be appreciated that the principles discussed herein could easily be adapted to other shapes of container by adapting the shape of the respective parts of the device 200 accordingly.
The collar 210 extends between the aperture 212 towards the side wall 202. Note that in this example the collar 210 does not extend all the way to the side wall, but has a radially extending portion 222 (radial when undeformed, at least) which, since the collar 210 has an annular shape largely or entirely blocking an outer annulus of the cavity 214, has the effect of fully or partially sealing the lower part of the cavity from the outside environment when a beverage container is inserted. This radially extending portion 222 of the collar 210 gives the collar a planar and annular shape (lying generally parallel with the base 204) and has perforations 218 formed through the collar 210. These allow a seal to be formed all the way around the beverage container, without causing a complete air tight seal between the cavity 214 and the environment, for example to allow pressure equalisation. In this way, the perforations 218 can be made as small or large as desired to reduce convective heat transfer out of the cavity 214, while allowing as much pressure equalisation as needed. As shown, there are two perforations 218 each about 3 mm in diameter although different numbers and/or sizes of perforation 218 may be used, depending on the desired application.
The collar 210 has a slightly thicker portion at its inner edge 220. This can help to reduce instances of tearing by providing a more robust portion of the collar 210 at the point which undergoes the most wear and tear (which is also the part which stretches and deforms the most during use). As shown, the inner edge 220 has a generally circular profile in cross-section, although other shapes are possible depending on the desired properties. The inner rounded edge 220 has a radius of curvature of about 1 mm and the collar is about 1 mm thick, meaning that the inner edge 220 is about twice as thick as the other parts of the collar 222. In general, the thicker the other parts of the collar 222, the less thickening is required to bolster the inner edge 220. The thicker part of the collar 210 at the inner edge 220 extends radially outward a first distance from the aperture 212 to the other parts of the collar 222. The other parts of the collar 222 extend radially outward a second distance to the outer edge of the collar. In this example, the second distance is about 5 times the first distance, but this relationship is dependent on the arrangement of the aperture 212 and its relationship to the size of the opening 208. This means that the second distance may be between 2 and 10 times the first distance.
The side wall 202 is shown as being formed of two thin concentric layers (e.g. stainless steel), with a void therebetween. This void can help to provide thermal insulation to the cavity 214, for example by filling with insulating material, or even with vacuum. The portion of the side wall just beneath the collar 210 has a shoulder 215b formed therein. The shoulder represents a narrowing of the cavity 214 from its width at the opening 208 to its width below the collar 210. This shoulder 215b has a dual role: first to provide space (also called a recess) for the collar 210 to fold back into when a beverage container is inserted (see
A corresponding feature is seen in the side wall 202 above the collar 210 (that is, between the collar 210 and the open end of the side wall 202). Here, recess 215a above the collar 210 operates analogously to the space (or recess) formed by the shoulder 215b, to provide space for the collar 210 to fold into, except in this example the recess 215 is provided to provide space for the collar 210 to fold into when the beverage container is removed from the device 200. In such a removal of the beverage container, the collar 210 folds in much the same way as during insertion of the beverage container, but instead of folding downward towards shoulder 215b the collar 210 folds upwards into recess 215a. In each case, the insertion or removal process is able to be completed with less resistance, and thereby reduces the chances that the user will need to exert excessive force and reduces the chance of injury by making both slippage and accidental crushing of the container less likely.
It can be seen that the recess 215a is bounded at its upper edge by a circumferential protrusion, but the side wall 202 returns to a wider width above the circumferential protrusion, meaning that the rim of the side wall 202 at its open end is wider than the circumferential protrusion. This can help funnel and centre the beverage container prior to encountering the collar 210. In other examples, the side wall 202 may not revert to a wider size above the collar 210, but instead the rim may be the same width as the circumferential protrusion, and the side wall 202 above the collar 210 remains flush.
In the example shown, the narrowest portion of the cavity 214 above the collar 210 matches the narrowest width of the cavity 214 below the collar 210. In fact, as the device 200 and the cavity 214 are generally cylindrical, this simply means that the diameter of the cavity 214 is the same above and below the collar 210, but the comments here apply to non-cylindrical shapes of cavity 214 as well. This arrangement means that the user can be alerted to whether a given beverage container will fit all the way into the cavity 214, without needing to push the beverage container through the collar 210. In some cases, this need not be true, for example in some cases the narrowest portion of the cavity 214 above the collar 210 may be narrower than the narrowest width of the cavity 214 below the collar 210, to ensure that the largest size of container which can be inserted into the device 200 nevertheless has a little leeway when received in the cavity 214, thereby allowing for easy insertion and removal of the beverage container.
Located in the cavity 214, adjacent to the base 204 is an insert 224. The purpose of this is described in more detail below, but broadly this is used to assist a user in correctly positioning the beverage container in the cavity 214. The device 200 may include material in thermal contact with the interior of the cavity 214 for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity 214. This may be provided for example within a hollow interior of the insert 224
The lower end of the device 200 is capped with by the base 204. As noted elsewhere, this is shown sealed and with a void for filling with insulation, but either or both of these may not be true in other examples. The base 204 has a bottle opener 204 secured in place, which as discussed above can be useful for ensuring that a bottle opener is always to hand.
Turning now to
The upper portion of the device 200 is a removable cap 228, which allows the collar 210 to be removed, for example so that the insert 224 can be extracted from the cavity 214. It can be seen that the insert 224 is cup shaped (that is, has a U-shaped profile), meaning that the insert 224 can be easily placed into the cavity 214 either way up (that is in an orientation having a U-shaped profile or one having a ∩-shaped profile). This allows a user to decide whether to provide a platform for the beverage container to rest on (by inserting the insert 224 or not) and also how high that platform should be (by inserting the insert 224 in one of the two orientations discussed above). In the configuration having the U-shaped profile, the beverage container is spaced away from the base 204 by the thickness of the horizontal part of the insert 224, while in the configuration having the ∩-shaped profile, the beverage container is spaced away from the base 204 by the thickness of the horizontal part of the insert 224 as well as by the height of the side walls of the insert 224. These three arrangements can help vertically align the beverage container with the collar 210 as discussed in more detail with reference to
As can be seen in
The collar 210 is provided as a removable element, separable from the removable cap 228. This can allow different sizes of collar 210 to be provided, and easily changed, without requiring a whole new device 200 or even a whole new removable cap 228. The collar 210 is removably attachable to the cap 228 by stretching the collar 210 over the lower edge of the cap 228. The upper portion of the collar 210 includes a radially inward protrusion for interfacing with a groove around the lower edge of the cap 228, which can help to ensure that the collar 210 is correctly and securely seated on the cap 228. In other examples, the collar 210 may be permanently affixed to the cap 228, or even may be connected to the side 202 wall instead (removably or permanently).
In
In
The collar 210 is shown in its deformed state, pushed downward (towards the base 204) into the cavity 214. The elasticity of the collar 210 urges it back towards its undeformed, planar arrangement. This restoring force causes the inner edge 220 of the collar 210 to contact and grip the beverage container 216. The side wall 202 has a shoulder 215b which provides space for the collar 210 to fold away from the central axis of the cavity 214. This in turn ensures that the collar 210 does not present an unduly large resistance to the insertion or removal of the beverage container 216. This gripping effect allows a user to take a drink from the beverage container 216 while holding the device 200, without risking the beverage container 216 slipping out of the device 200. It can be seen that the perforations 218, while deformed downward with the rest of the collar 210, retain their role of providing a pressure equalisation channel through the collar 210. Above the collar 210 is a recess 215a to allow the collar 210 to fold upwards, in an similar manner, as the beverage container 216 is being removed from the cavity 214.
In
In addition, since the beverage container 216 shown in
Finally,
As with other examples, the device 200 may be supplied as a kit of parts, including a main body (e.g. side wall 202 and base 204); one or more removable caps 228; one or more replaceable collars 210; and one or more removable inserts 224, to allow a user to customise their device 200 to their intended uses.
The present disclosure also extends to the following numbered clauses:
1. A holder for a beverage container, the holder comprising:
-
- a base;
a side wall defining an opening through which the beverage container is insertable; and
a collar located within the opening; wherein
the side wall and the base together define a cavity for receiving the beverage container; and wherein
the collar is adjustable between a first configuration for contacting a first size of beverage container and a second configuration for contacting a second size of beverage container.
2. The holder according to clause 1, further comprising an actuator movable relative to the side wall arranged to cause the collar to transition between the first configuration and the second configuration.
3. The holder according to clause 2, wherein the actuator is movable relative to the side wall in a rotational and/or an axial direction.
4. The holder according to clause 3, wherein motion of the actuator causes the collar to transition continuously between the first and second configurations.
5. The holder according to clause 3 or clause 4, wherein motion of the actuator is graduated and wherein the graduated motion corresponds to one or more intermediate configurations of the collar between the first and second configurations.
6. The holder according to any one of clauses 3 to 5, wherein the actuator is selectively lockable at least one position, the at least one position corresponding to the first configuration, the second configuration or to an intermediate configuration of the collar.
7. The holder according to any one of clauses 2 to 6, wherein the collar retains its angular position relative to the side wall during transitions between the first and second configurations.
8. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses wherein the collar is circular.
9. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses wherein, in each of the first and second configurations, the collar has an internal dimension of between 50 mm and 75 mm at its widest part.
10. The holder according to any preceding clause, wherein the collar is provided on a replaceable cap.
11. The holder according to clause 10, further comprising a plurality of replaceable caps, each cap having a differently sized collar.
12. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar comprises a strip of flexible material.
13. The holder according to clause 12, wherein the collar lies substantially along an internal wall of the cavity in the first configuration and wherein a portion of the collar is deflected away from an internal surface of the side wall in the second configuration.
14. The holder according to clause 12 or clause 13 wherein, in the second configuration, a pair of opposed edges of the strip remain adjacent to the internal wall and an intermediate portion of the strip curves away from an internal surface of the side wall.
15. The holder according to any one of clauses 12 to 14, wherein the collar includes one or more indents, creases or perforations.
16. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar has a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage container.
17. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar extends substantially around an internal surface of the side wall.
18. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses wherein the collar is arranged to form a seal at least part way around an outer surface of the beverage container.
19. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the interior of the cavity has a shoulder arranged to contact a base of the beverage container.
20. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar comprises a plastic or rubber material.
21. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the side wall and/or the base comprise(s) rigid plastic and/or metal.
22. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the base and/or the side wall is/are hollow and include insulating means.
23. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, further including a material in thermal contact with the interior of the cavity for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity.
24. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, further including a bottle opener mounted in an exterior surface of the base.
25. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, further comprising ergonomic grips on an exterior surface of the side wall.
26. A device adapted to hold a beverage container having any size within a range of sizes, the device comprising:
-
- a base;
a side wall extending away from the base and defining an opening through which the beverage container is receivable into a cavity defined by the base and the side wall; and
a pliable collar spaced away from the base and located within the cavity, the collar extending inwardly into the cavity and having an aperture through which the beverage container is insertable such that the collar deforms to cause an inner edge of the aperture to contact and grip the beverage container; wherein
the opening has a first width, the aperture of the collar has a second width, the second width being smaller than the first width and wherein the ratio of the second width to the first width is less than or equal to 0.9.
27. The device of clause 26, wherein the collar has a generally planar form.
28. The device of clause 27, wherein the plane of the collar is generally parallel with the base.
29. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the inner edge of the collar is thicker than parts of the collar closer to the side wall.
30. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar extends generally perpendicularly inwardly from the side wall.
31. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar includes one or more perforations extending through the collar.
32. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar extends substantially around an internal surface of the side wall.
33. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar is arranged to form a seal at least part way around an outer surface of the beverage container, optionally wherein the collar is arranged to form a seal all the way around an outer surface of the beverage container.
34. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity and the aperture have the same general shape as one another, when viewed in the direction of insertion of the beverage container, optionally wherein the cavity is cylindrical and the collar is annular.
35. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the width of the aperture is less than 50 mm, optionally wherein the width of the aperture is greater than 40 mm, optionally wherein the width of the aperture is about 45 mm.
36. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the width of the opening is greater than 55 mm, optionally wherein the width of the opening is at least 70 mm, optionally wherein the width of the opening is about 73 mm.
37. The device of any one of the preceding clauses, further including a removable insert insertable into the cavity prior to the beverage container being received in the cavity, to contact a lower end of the beverage container and space the beverage container away from the base.
38. The device of clause 37, wherein the insert is U-shaped in profile to selectively allow insertion in two orientations, each orientation spacing the lower end of the beverage container a different distance from the base.
39. The device of clause 38, wherein the vertical walls of the U-shaped section are arranged to hold the beverage container centrally within the cavity.
40. The device of any one of clauses 37 to 39, wherein the insert has grooves in at least one surface for interfacing with the lower end of the beverage container.
41. The holder according to any preceding clause, wherein the collar is provided on a replaceable cap.
42. The holder according to clause 41, further comprising a plurality of replaceable caps, each cap having a collar of different widths.
43. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar has a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage container.
44. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar comprises a plastic or rubber material.
45. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the collar has a Shore durometer hardness of 25 Shore A to 90 Shore A, preferably between 40 Shore A and 70 Shore A, preferably about 50 Shore A.
46. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein an internal surface of the side wall has an internal shoulder or protrusion to provide a recess for receiving the collar as the collar deforms as the beverage container is inserted or removed through the aperture into the cavity.
47. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the side wall and/or the base comprise(s) rigid plastic and/or metal.
48. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the base and/or the side wall is/are hollow and include insulating means.
49. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, further including a material in thermal contact with the interior of the cavity for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity.
50. The holder according to any one of the preceding clauses, further including a bottle opener mounted in an exterior surface of the base.
Claims
1. A device adapted to hold a beverage container having any size within a range of sizes, the device comprising:
- a base;
- a side wall extending away from the base and defining an opening through which the beverage container is receivable into a cavity defined by the base and the side wall; and
- a pliable collar spaced away from the base and located within the cavity, the collar extending inwardly into the cavity and having an aperture through which the beverage container is insertable such that the collar deforms to cause an inner edge of the aperture to contact and grip the beverage container; wherein
- the opening has a first width, the aperture of the collar has a second width, the second width being smaller than the first width and wherein the first width is selected to be larger than the diameter of the largest beverage container in the range of sizes and the second width is selected to be smaller than the smallest beverage container in the range of sizes.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the second width to the first width is less than or equal to 0.9; or wherein
- the first width is larger than one of:
- 66.2 mm, 64.1 mm, 63.5 mm, 60.7 mm, 59.3 mm, 58.1 mm, 57.5 mm, or 56.1 mm, and wherein the second width is smaller than one of:
- 64.1 mm, 63.5 mm, 60.7 mm, 59.3 mm, 58.1 mm, 57.5 mm, 56.1 mm, or 53.3 mm.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the collar has a generally planar form.
4. The device of claim 2, wherein the plane of the collar is generally parallel with the base.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the inner edge of the collar is thicker than parts of the collar closer to the side wall.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the collar extends generally perpendicularly inwardly from the side wall.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the collar includes one or more perforations extending through the collar.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the collar extends substantially around an internal surface of the side wall.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the collar is arranged to form a seal at least part way around an outer surface of the beverage container, optionally wherein the collar is arranged to form a seal all the way around an outer surface of the beverage container.
10. The device of claim 1, further including a removable insert insertable into the cavity prior to the beverage container being received in the cavity, to contact a lower end of the beverage container and space the beverage container away from the base.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the insert is U-shaped in profile to selectively allow insertion in two orientations, each orientation spacing the lower end of the beverage container a different distance from the base.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the vertical walls of the U-shaped section are arranged to hold the beverage container centrally within the cavity.
13. The device of claim 10, wherein the insert has grooves in at least one surface for interfacing with the lower end of the beverage container.
14. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the collar has a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage container.
15. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the collar comprises a plastic or rubber material.
16. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the collar has a Shore durometer hardness of 25 Shore A to 90 Shore A, preferably between 40 Shore A and 70 Shore A, preferably about 50 Shore A.
17. The holder according to claim 1, wherein an internal surface of the side wall has an internal shoulder or protrusion to provide a recess for receiving the collar as the collar deforms as the beverage container is inserted or removed through the aperture into the cavity.
18. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the side wall and/or the base comprise(s) rigid plastic and/or metal.
19. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the base and/or the side wall is/are hollow and include insulating means.
20. A holder for a beverage container, the holder comprising:
- a base;
- a side wall defining an opening through which the beverage container is insertable; and
- a collar located within the opening; wherein
- the side wall and the base together define a cavity for receiving the beverage container; and wherein
- the collar is adjustable between a first configuration for contacting a first size of beverage container and a second configuration for contacting a second size of beverage container.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 29, 2021
Publication Date: Jul 7, 2022
Inventors: David Sweeney (Londo), Mark Little (Kennington), Hans Ramzan (Kennington), Alex Fleming (Kennington), Jamie Balfour (Kennington)
Application Number: 17/646,357
