BOTTLE TO CUP ADAPTER SEALER

Abstract

An adapter is used to couple a beverage container to a holding container. The adapter has a ridge point, a top portion, and a bottom portion. The ridge point is designed to rest upon a rim of the holding container. The top portion includes a top aperture and a sloped side disposed between the ridge point and the top aperture. The bottom portion includes a bottom aperture and a side wall disposed between the ridge point and the bottom aperture. The top aperture's size is related to the size of the beverage container, while the bottom aperture's size is related to the size of the holding container.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/368,797 filed on 19 Jul. 2022, titled “UBCoosie, Bottle to Cup Adapter Sealer,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present application relates to beverage containers. In particular, the present application relates to a device designed for the retention of the thermal integrity of beverages.

2. Description of Related Art

Presently, there are several different systems used for retention of thermal integrity for beverages, such as thermal cups/mugs and “coosies,” among other devices. A coosie is a stretchable or solid material having the purpose of covering a beverage bottle/can, and thus aids in the retention of the beverage's cold state longer than if the beverage bottle/can were not insulated by a coosie.

Thermal cups/mugs have been widely produced for the purpose of keeping drinks either hot or cold. At some point thermal cups were produced such that a person could pour their drink into said thermal cups to enhance the thermal retention to a far greater extent and for a much longer period of time. However, in doing so the user of the thermal cup is not able to retain and use the original beverage bottle throughout the consumption process, which is often important for both taste and consistency purposes. Many people prefer to drink from a bottle or a can, which is not possible with the use of thermal mugs, and thus those individuals must resort to the less effective coosie approach.

There are adapters in existence which are made to attach to a thermal cup directly, but said adapters are designed to cover the top of a bottle. Said adapters are essentially an extension of the thermal cup and the design incorporates the form of a bottle neck itself.

Although the aforementioned systems for thermal retention represent great strides in the field of beverage containers, many shortcomings remain.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bottle to cup adapter sealer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bottle to cup adapter sealer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a bottle to cup adapter sealer according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bottle to cup adapter sealer of FIG. 1.

While the assembly of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present application as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrative embodiments of the bottle to cup adapter sealer according to the present application are provided below. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions will be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with assembly-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 1 in the drawings, a bottle to cup adapter sealer is illustrated according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Adapter 100 has a unique configuration for retaining the thermal state of a beverage container, while also allowing the consumer of the beverage to consume said beverage in a manner intended by the beverage company. For example, when a company utilizes a specific container shape and size, it is often done with a purpose of providing the best possible beverage consuming experience.

Adapter 100 preferably includes top edge 101, bottom edge 103, sloped side 105, side wall 107, and ridge point 109. Top edge 101 spans the perimeter and defines the shape of top aperture 102 (best illustrated in FIG. 2). Under the preferred embodiment, top aperture 102 is circular shaped so as to accommodate the neck of bottle 111. Although bottle 111 has sides creating a cone-like shape with an open top, it should be understood that alternative embodiments of the present invention may utilize alternative shapes for top aperture 102 for use with alternatively shaped bottles or cans. As such, alternative embodiments may have top edges that are sized or shaped differently than top edge 101. Top edge 101, top aperture 102, and sloped side 105 together establish a top portion of the system.

Similarly, bottom edge 103 spans the perimeter of a bottom aperture that is shaped and sized for compatibility with container 113. Under the preferred embodiment, container 113 is cylindrically shaped and configured for holding bottle 111, or other beverage containers. Alternative embodiments of the present invention may be configured for compatibility with alternatively shaped and sized containers, such that bottom edge 103 will have a different corresponding shape and size. Bottom edge 103, the bottom aperture, and side wall 107 together establish a bottom portion of the system.

Sloped side 105 and side wall 107 span the distance between top edge 101 and bottom edge 103, meeting at ridge point 109. Ridge point 109 is preferably positioned around a top edge/rim of container 113 when the adapter is in use. Sloped side 105 is a curved surface spanning between top edge 101 and ridge point 109. Alternative embodiments may include other shaped sides, such as being substantially or wholly planar from the top edge to the ridge point or having multiple planar portions separated by angled portions.

Side wall 107 spans between bottom edge 103 and ridge point 109. Side wall 107 is preferably configured to fit over the surface of container 113, such that side wall 107 snugly covers a partial section of container 113. It should be understood that the illustration of the present invention is illustrative of a preferred embodiment, but that alternative embodiments may take upon a multitude of shapes and sizes. For example, side wall 107 may cover a greater or smaller portion of container 113, including potentially covering the full side surface of the container.

Container 113 may be any sort of cup, mug, or thermal container designed to fit other bottles or beverage containers within. Adapter 100 is preferably made from rubber or other stretchable material. The choice of stretchable material allows for adapter 100 to couple the neck of a beverage container (such as bottle 111) to the rim of any cup, container, or thermal cup (such as container 113). Said coupling is done to create a seal both around the neck of the beverage container and the cup, container, or thermal cup. This seal is both a barrier to thermal loss from outside air and acts as a seal to reduce or eliminate any condensation or other liquid from escaping the space in between the cup, container, or thermal cup (such as melted ice). Again, it should be appreciated that the present invention and the coupling method can be utilized with beverage cans and other containers that beverages are contained in, beyond the bottle illustrated herein.

Adapter 100 is uniquely configured such that bottle 111 is contained securely within container 113 without emptying the contents of bottle 111 into said container 113, while simultaneously creating a seal for prevention of thermal variance of the bottle's contents and prevention of leakage from between the bottle and container. Such a seal allows for some ice, or other cooling measure, to be placed in between the container and the bottle as desired, and any liquids or condensation will not leak upon melting of the ice. If the intention is to retain heat, a possible heating source could be placed in such an area instead of the ice or cooling measure. As stated above, a stretchable material is preferably used for adapter 100, such that adapter 100 may be used with bottles and containers having a variety of shapes and sizes.

Referring now also to FIG. 2 in the drawings, a top view of adapter 100 is illustrated. FIG. 2 best illustrates the positioning of top aperture 102 as well as the approximate size of top aperture 102 compared to the bottom aperture. It should be appreciated that alternative embodiments of the present invention may have alternatively positioned apertures (as described below) and various sizes for the apertures. For example, for an adapter configured to be utilized substantially with beverage cans instead of bottles, it may be desirable to have a top aperture with a larger diameter, as cans generally have larger diameters than bottle necks. In such scenario, the stretchable material of the adapter as illustrated will allow for said adapter to be utilized with cans, but may cause unwanted stress and wear to the adapter for its continuous large amount of stretching to fit a beverage can. An adapter with a larger top aperture is less likely to be subject to such wear and therefore is more likely to last additional time compared to other embodiments.

Referring now also to FIG. 3 in the drawings, a top view of a bottle to cup adapter sealer is illustrated according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Adapter 300 is substantially similar to adapter 100, including a top edge 301, top aperture 302, bottom edge 303, and sloped side 305, among other similar features not seen from the top view. However, top aperture 302 is not positioned in the center of the adapter, but rather is disposed in a position closer to one edge of the adapter relative to the opposing edge of the adapter. Such positioning change allows for variability in the shape of a beverage container held within, or to simply modify the way a beverage container is seated within the system. For example, a bottle may be seated at a slight angle with the neck positioned toward an edge of the adapter, which may be desirable for aesthetic purposes or simply to reduce the tilt of the system required for pouring some of the beverage, among other reasons. It should be understood that such positioning change of the top aperture may result in a variance in the sloping of sloped side 305, unlike the uniform sloping presented around the full portion of sloped side 105.

Referring now also to FIG. 4 in the drawings, a perspective view of adapter 100 is illustrated. FIG. 4 best illustrates adapter 100 while it is not being used to couple a bottle to a container. Although top edge 101 and ridge point 109 are illustrated as being positioned in a rigid state to keep overall form of the adapter, it should be understood that alternative embodiments of the present invention may be a non-rigid material throughout, such that the form is not completely held in the position as illustrated.

Although not illustrated herein, it should additionally be understood that the present invention may be a wholly or at least substantially rigid structure. Such rigid structure may be similar to a solid lid designed to be compatible with a specifically manufactured thermal or other cup/container. Said structure may be configured to twist on to a container into a sealed position, press fit onto said container, or other methods of coupling a lid to a container. When designed for rigidity, it should be understood that the material used will not be stretchable, but rather would be made of a rigid material such as a hard plastic.

Other alternative embodiments may be a partially rigid, partially stretchable structure. In such embodiments, it may be desirable to use a hard plastic, or similar material, to form the bottom edge and side walls for compatibility with a specific container, while also having a stretchable portion for the sloped sides and top aperture, such that various beverage containers may fit within the semi-rigid adapter.

It is apparent that a system with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the embodiments may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the application. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the description. Although the present embodiments are shown above, they are not limited to just these embodiments, but are amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. An adapter for coupling a beverage container to a holding container, comprising:

a ridge point configured to rest upon a rim of the holding container;

a top portion extending from the ridge point, the top portion comprising: a top aperture; and a sloped side disposed between the ridge point and the top aperture; and

a bottom portion extending from the ridge point in an opposing direction from the top portion, the bottom portion comprising: a bottom aperture; and a side wall disposed between the ridge point and the bottom aperture;

wherein the top aperture is sizably related to the beverage container; and

wherein the bottom aperture is sizably related to the holding container.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the top portion and bottom portion are made of a stretchable material.

3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the top portion and bottom portion are made of a rigid material.

4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion is made of a rigid material and the top portion is made of a stretchable material.

5. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising:

a top edge defining the perimeter of the top aperture; and

a bottom edge defining the perimeter of the bottom aperture;

wherein the top edge is configured to create a seal with the beverage container; and

wherein the bottom edge is configured to create a seal with the holding container.

6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the material of the top portion and the bottom portion is designed to substantially maintain the thermal state of a beverage within the beverage container.

7. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the beverage container is a can having a top rim; and

wherein the top aperture creates a seal near the top rim of the can, such that a beverage within the can may still be consumed after the adapter is coupled to the can.

8. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the beverage container is a bottle having a neck portion; and

wherein the top aperture creates a seal with the bottle along the neck portion, such that a beverage within the bottle may still be consumed after coupling the adapter to the bottle.

9. A system for containing beverages, comprising:

a holding container configured to hold a beverage container within, the holding container having a rim;

an adapter operably associated with the rim of the holding container, the adapter comprising: a top portion having a top aperture; and a bottom portion having a bottom aperture; wherein the bottom aperture is sized to fit over the rim.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the holding container is designed to substantially retain the thermal state of a beverage.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the top portion is made of a stretchable material.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the bottom portion is configured to create a seal with the holding container and the top portion is configured to create a seal with the beverage container.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the bottom portion is made of a stretchable material, such that the adapter is capable of being coupled to various sized holding containers.