Patent Application
20220119172
This invention relates generally to a device for consuming a beverage by chugging. The user easily consumes the beverage wherein a tube or opening in the container allow air to escape while the consumer drinks. Beer chugging is particularly popular among college and university students and various other young adults.
Various types of devices and apparatuses are known for use to consume drinkable liquids by chugging. Funnels, beer funnels, beer bongs are but a few that vent a beer container to accelerate the discharge of liquid therefrom.
There is a similar product on the market in the US with a metal straw. The product is intended for at home use to infuse smoking and drinking at the same time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,382 discloses a device for accelerating consumption of liquid from bottles. A flexible cylindrical body tube adapted to seal tightly to engage a beer bottle at one end and mounting a side-venting hose of a length selected to extend into the beer bottle and down into the bottle to a position adjacent the bottom of the bottle. A grommet provides a seal between the vent hose and body tube such that the liquid contents of the bottle will not leak through the side of the body tube. The present invention is of unitary construction such that a sealing member is not required.
In US Patent Application 2009/0120968 an invention that allows a user to “shotgun” a pressurized beverage in under 5 seconds is disclosed. Shot gunning is a means of consuming a canned beverage, especially beer, very quickly by a particular technique involving punching a hole in the side of the can. The present invention in no way resembles this patent and the many enhanced improvements of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,788,574 discloses a device for use with a container containing liquid and having an opening for the consecutive consumption of the liquid and of smoke that has been drawn into the container. The device comprises a heat resistant tubular structure that connects the combustion receptacle with the interior of the liquid container. When smoking material is combusted and the container is inverted, outflow of liquid from the container through the body, in most instances into a user's mouth, creates negative pressure within the container, drawing in smoke from the combustion receptacle. The heat resistant tubular structure is typically metal which does not allow the consumer to easily store or travel with their snorkel.
It is an aim of the present invention to offer a rubber chugging device that can be stretched to fit over the top of a beer bottle or can to allow the drinker an easier way to “chug” a beverage. There will be a rubber straw-like tube in each chugging device that allows air to escape while the consumer drinks. This invention is intended for party or social use. Having a rubber straw-like tube is an improvement because this will allow the consumer to roll the device up for easy storage and use when away from home.
Thus, there is a considerable need for the present invention and one skilled in the art will continue to understand this need in the following summary and furthermore in the drawing and detailed description of the drawing.
The present invention is a new idea of introducing a silicone straw to a chugging device for easier use, storage, and travel. This allows the user to travel easily to destinations, such as pools, bars, houses, beaches, etc. for parties and get-togethers. Often the chugging device is used at parties or social events where one can challenge others to a chugging contest.
Having a rubber straw-like tube is an improvement on the pre-existing devices because the rubber straw-like tube will allow the user to roll the chugging device up and store it in his or her pocket or purse for easier storage and use when away from home.
Further aspects of the invention are evident from the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment, and
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiment illustrated.
The present invention is directed to a device for consuming a beverage by chugging. More specifically the present invention provides a device for use with a container containing liquid, such as beer, and having an opening. The device generally comprises a body and a tubular structure. The body has an inlet end that can engage the container, and an outlet end that can be placed at the mouth of a user. Thus, when the container is inverted, liquid in the container can flow through the body into the mouth of the user. The tubular structure provides for fluid communication to the interior of the liquid container, for example, to allow air to travel into the container. When the container is inverted, the outflow of liquid from the container through the body creates negative pressure within the container, thereby drawing in air through the tubular structure. Once most or all of the liquid has flowed out of the container, the user may then inhale air in the container through the body. In this way, the present device can provide for the consecutive consumption of liquid from a container.
The tubular structure extends to or proximate a bottom surface of a container when the device is engaged with the container so that when the container is inverted and air is drawn into the container, the amount of air that passes through the liquid as it exits the tubular structure is minimized.
The chugging device may be made of rubber or similar material. Flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) retains its flexibility over the desired operating temperature range. Various other materials such as a urethane could be used to fabricate the body tube. In one exemplary embodiment, the chugging device is constructed of 100% silicone to permit the device to withstand freezing temperatures and to be dishwasher safe.
The tubular structure length that extends past the inlet end of the body is selectively adjustable. In other words, the distance by which the tubular structure extends outwardly from the device into a container can be selectively adjustable. The tubular structure may have an inside diameter of 3/16″, an outside diameter of 5/16 and a wall thickness of 1/16.
The tubular structure may also be made of rubber or similar material. Flexible PVC or urethane may be used. The body and tubular structure can be made of the same material and can be a unitary structure. The particular material is selected so that the snorkel can accomplish the necessary bending without kinking.
The types of containers shown have either a neck or without a neck, however the container is not limited to those shown. The containers include those with smaller and larger necks, containers without necks, cans, glass bottles, metallic bottles and plastic bottles. Specific types of beverage containers include beer bottles, seltzer cans, and beer cans.
In addition, the term “inverted” is used herein to describe orientations of a container. The term is not used in a strict sense, but rather it is used to mean that the container is orientated such that any liquid in the container will flow out of the container as a result of gravity.
In one or more embodiments, the beverage chugging device is sized to engage with standard size bottles, seltzer cans, and industry standard beer cans. In particular, other embodiments include a beer bottle chugging device, a seltzer can chugging device, and a beer can chugging device, as well as an adapter to cojoin two chugging devices and drinks at the same time.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiment illustrated.
While a specific embodiment has been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without markedly departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of protection is thus only intended to be limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.
