Double Wall Insulated Vessel with Top and Side Openings

Abstract

A double wall insulated vessel with top and side openings provides an insulation layer between inner and outer walls, which may be formed of a solid or rigid material, such as stainless steel or other metal. A top opening on the vessel is configured to accept a top lid or another mating structure. The vessel is also provided with at least one side opening. Having a top, or upper, opening and at least one side opening allows the connection to the vessel of multiple externalities, such as, for example, a bowl and down stem that holds tobacco or other substance to be smoked and a neck piece or smoking tube through which a user inhales smoke.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of insulated vessels for holding a liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Smoke from tobacco or other material has traditionally been inhaled in its heated form via a pipe or the like. Heated smoke, when inhaled, however can be discomforting due to the heat it transfers to the respiratory system of a user (i.e., a smoker). Tobacco or other smoking material that is rolled or wrapped in paper or the like and smoked has a disadvantage in that it presents the user with undesirable smoke from the combusted paper wrapping. The use of filters may lessen but not completely eliminate the smoke from such wrappings. Pipes, hookas, and bongs, which do not require a wrapping for the substance to be smoked, have traditionally been employed to solve this problem. Hookas and bongs both utilize a mechanism for filtering smoke through water to cool the smoke before inhalation. Although cooling the smoke may provide for a smoother and more pleasurable inhalation experience to the user, the smoke from these traditional methods may still not be sufficiently cooled for the user to enjoy deep inhalations.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure solves the aforementioned problems with a double wall insulated vessel with top and side openings. The double wall insulated construction provides the ability to maintain the temperature of a liquid inside the vessel. In this way, if a cool liquid is desired, then a cool liquid is placed inside the vessel. The double wall insulation construction provides insulation from the outside environment by limiting the amount of heat transfer between the inside of the vessel and the outside environment. In this way, if a cool liquid is placed inside the vessel, but the vessel is placed in a relatively warmer environment, then the double wall insulated construction will severely limit the amount of heat transferred from the outside environment into the interior of the vessel where the relatively cool liquid is located. As a result, the relatively cool liquid will be able to maintain its relatively cool temperature for a much longer period of time.

The double wall insulated vessel also preferably includes two openings. Having two openings in the vessel allows connection of the vessel to two external assemblies. For example, in the case of a smoking bowl or vessel, one opening may be connected to a source of smoke which is introduced into the liquid inside the vessel. The other of the openings may be interfaced with a pipe or other inhalation apparatus for providing the cooled smoke to a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an embodiment of the double wall insulated vessel with top and side openings as disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the vessel of FIG. 1 with top and side lids in an attached state and in a detached state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The double insulated wall structure provides an air insulation layer between inner and outer walls, which may be formed of a solid or rigid material, such as stainless steel or other metal. This insulation capability allows a user to fill the vessel with cold water or a combination of water and ice that will cool the contents of the vessel or a product introduced into vessel by way of an appropriate opening, such as tobacco smoke, to much lower temperatures than was possible previously.

A top opening on the vessel is configured to accept a top lid or another mating structure. In some embodiments the top lid may also contain an integrated grinder for conveniently grinding the substance to be smoked. In alternative embodiments, the top opening may be configured to accept a smoking tube utilized to withdraw, e.g., by applying an inhaling force, smoke which has passed through the water held within the vessel.

The vessel is also provided with at least one side opening. Having a top, or upper, opening and at least one side opening allows the connection to the vessel of multiple externalities, such as, for example, a bowl and down stem that holds the tobacco or other substance to be smoked and a neck piece or smoking tube through which a user inhales smoke. Each of the at least one side openings on the vessel may also be configured to accept a side lid. In some embodiment, the top lid and the side lid may be rotatably attached to each other via a tether of rubber, string, or other suitable material. The tethering of the lids to each other serves to keep them together as a set when one or both lids are detached from the vessel. In this way, if one lid is unscrewed or separated from the vessel, it may not be as easily lost, since it may be tethered to another lid which is still screwed on or otherwise still attached to the vessel. Also, if both lids are unscrewed or otherwise detached from the vessel, they may still be not as easily lost, since the combination of both lids together along with the tether results in a much larger overall structure, which might make it more difficult to lose, as compared with a single, small lid by itself.

The double wall insulated vessel with top and side openings according to an embodiment of this disclosure is described below with reference to drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the double wall insulated construction of the vessel. In this embodiment, an outer vessel wall (i.e., an outer vessel bottom wall and an outer vessel side wall) and an inner vessel wall (i.e., an inner vessel bottom wall and an inner vessel side wall) are separated by an insulating layer of air or other substance, or by a vacuum. The insulating layer has a thickness that may vary throughout the vessel depending on the insulating needs of a particular application. For example, in certain embodiments the thickness of the insulating layer, i.e., the distance of separation between the outer and inner walls, may be greater at a bottom of the vessel to enhance the thermal isolation of the vessel from an external surface upon which the vessel bottom may be placed. The insulating layer may also be comprised of a vacuum, which would further enhance the insulating performance of the vessel by constraining heat transfer through the process of convection.

The outer vessel walls may be provided with a variety of finishes, colors, logos, designs, etc. In other embodiments the outer vessel walls may be configured to permit a user to decorate or otherwise customize the external appearance of the vessel via painting, drawing, printing, or other technique.

A top or upper opening is provided at or near the top or upper portion of the vessel. A side opening is provided on a side of the vessel. Liquid, ice, or other substance for filtering, flavoring, temperature adjustment, etc. may be inserted into the vessel interior via the top and/or side openings. The top and side openings may be configured to receive a lid, stem, neck piece, pipe, bowl, or other externality. As shown, the top and side openings may have raised edges on which are provided screw threads that allow a user to attach lids, etc. via twist-on, twist-off operation. The attachment mechanism of this disclosure is not limited to screw threads, however, and other well-known attachment mechanisms such as a pressure fittings, ball lock pins, etc. are also contemplated.

The outer contour of the vessel may be of any shape that allows for the positioning of at least two openings and is not limited to the elongated and rounded hexagonal shape illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is an embodiment in which the top and side openings of the vessel are configured to accept lids. In this embodiment, the lids are provided with screw threads that engage with corresponding mating threads on the vessel top and side openings.

The top and side openings may be of different shapes and sizes to accommodate various shapes and sizes of lids or other mating structures. In some embodiments, the top opening may be configured to accommodate a mating neckpiece, smoking tube, percolator, or the like. In some embodiments, the side opening may be configured to accommodate a downstem, bowl, ash catcher, adapter, or other mating structure.

Claims

1. A double wall vessel comprising:

an inner wall having an inner bottom wall portion and an inner side wall portion defining a single chamber;

an outer wall having an outer bottom wall portion and an outer side wall portion;

an insulating layer that separates the inner wall from the outer wall;

a top opening disposed at a top of the double wall vessel providing access to the single chamber; and

a side opening disposed at a side of the double wall vessel providing access to the single chamber.

2. The double wall vessel of claim 1, wherein the top and side openings are each configured to accept a lid or other mating structure.

3. The double wall vessel of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is air.

4. The double wall vessel of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is a vacuum.

5. The double wall vessel of claim 4, wherein the inner and outer walls of the double wall vessel are constructed of stainless steel.