Patent Application
20140354407
A portable device used to count and keep track of a number and a type of beverage consumed.
Alcohol poisoning is a serious and potentially deadly result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect an individual's breathing, heart rate and gag reflex and potentially lead to coma and death. The main cause of alcohol poisoning is binge drinking which is defined as the rapid consumption of five or more drinks in a row. Alcohol poisoning can also occur when household products containing alcohol are accidentally or intentionally consumed. Alcohol poisoning symptoms include:
Confusion, stupor
Vomiting
Seizures
Slow breathing (less than eight breaths a minute)
Irregular breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths)
Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
Low body temperature (hypothermia)
Unconsciousness (“passing out”), and can't be roused
A person with alcohol poisoning needs immediate medical attention due to the risks associated with it. Alcohol depresses the nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing, heartbeat and gag reflex (prevents choking). Drinking too much alcohol can slow and, in some cases, shut down these functions. An individual's body temperature may also drop resulting in hypothermia or cardiac arrest. An individual's blood sugar level may fall low enough to cause seizures.
One way to prevent alcohol poisoning is to limit the number of alcoholic beverages consumed, or to increase the duration over which alcoholic beverages are consumed. Each of these goals may be achieved by the device disclosed within the instant patent application which permits an individual to count and keep track of the number and the type of beverage consumed.
A beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and one or more counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of beverages they have consumed. A method for using a beverage counting device comprising the steps of: providing a beverage counting device comprising a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and one or more counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of beverages they have consumed; a) obtaining a beverage to drink; b) actuating a button on the counter to record the beverage; c) consuming the beverage; and d) repeating steps a) through c) until no further beverages are consumed.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form that is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
Looking to the figures, where like numerals refer to like elements, one can see in
A beverage counting device 10, as used herein, refers to a device which displays and stores the number of times a particular event has occurred. In the case of the instant invention, a beverage counting device 10 displays and stores the number of beverages that an individual has consumed. A beverage counting device 10 may include a wrist band 15 and one or more counters 20.
Wrist band 15, as used herein, refers to a band which encircles the entire wrist or a portion of a wrist. In the present invention, a wrist band 15 may be comprised of a material including, but not limited to, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, metal, leather, natural cloth, synthetic cloth, plastic, or a combination thereof.
Counter 20, as used herein, refers to a device which stores and displays the number of beverages the number of beverages an individual has consumed. A counter may be selected from the group including, but not limited to, a numeric/analog dial, a digital dial, an LED display, a digital display, a mechanical counter, a sliding counter, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment of the present invention, the counter 20 is non-electronic. In another embodiment, the counter 20 is electronic. In still another embodiment, the counter 20 is mechanical such as a tally counter which is known in the art. In the case of a counter 20 being an electronic counter, the counter 20 may include a circuit chip, a display 25 and a battery to power the circuit chip and display 25. In another embodiment, an electronic counter may be powered by a battery, a solar cell, or a combination thereof.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the beverage counting device is used to record the number of alcoholic beverages that an individual has consumed. In another embodiment of the present invention, the beverage counting device is used to record the number of both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages (i.e. water, milk, soda, etc.) that an individual has consumed. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the beverage counting device further comprises one or more time components selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof.
An alternative embodiment of the present invention describes a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and a first counter secured to the wrist band which permits an individual the ability to record and display the number of alcoholic beverages they have consumed. The beverage counting device further includes a second counter secured to the wrist band which permits the individual the ability to record and display the number of non-alcoholic beverages they have consumed. The beverage counting device further includes one or more time components secured to the wrist band, the time component being selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment of the above invention the wrist band may be comprised of a material including, but not limited to, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, metal, leather, natural cloth, synthetic cloth, plastic, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment of the above invention, the counters may be selected from the group including, but not limited to, a numeric/analog dial, a digital dial, an LED display, a digital display, a mechanical counter, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the counter is non-electronic. In yet another embodiment, the counter is electronic. In still another embodiment, the counter 20 is mechanical such as a tally counter which is known in the art. In the case of a counter being an electronic counter, the counter may include a circuit chip, a display and a battery to power the circuit chip and display. In another embodiment, an electronic counter may be powered by a battery, a solar cell, or a combination thereof.
Looking again to the figures, we see that
Looking now to
Looking now to
Looking now to
Looking now to
The present invention further includes a method for using a beverage counting device comprising the steps of: providing a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and one or more counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of beverages they have consumed by then:
a) obtaining a beverage to drink;
b) actuating a button on the counter or rotating a dial on the counter to record the beverage;
c) consuming the beverage; and
d) repeating steps a) through c) until no further beverages are consumed.
In one embodiment of the above method, the wrist band may be comprised of a material including, but not limited to, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, metal, leather, natural cloth, synthetic cloth, plastic, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment of the above method, the counters may be selected from the group including, but not limited to, a numeric/analog dial, a digital dial, an LED display, a digital display, a mechanical counter, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment of the above method, the beverage counting device is used to record the number of alcoholic beverages that an individual has consumed. In yet another embodiment of the above method, the beverage counting device is used to record the number of both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages that an individual has consumed. In still another embodiment of the above method, the beverage counting device further comprises one or more time components selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof.
An alternative embodiment of the present invention describes a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and a first counter secured to the wrist band which permits an individual the ability to record and display the number of alcoholic beverages they have consumed. The beverage counting device further includes a second counter secured to the wrist band which permits the individual the ability to record and display the number of non-alcoholic beverages they have consumed. The beverage counting device further includes one or more time components secured to the wrist band, the time component being selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment of the above invention the wrist band may be comprised of a material including, but not limited to, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, metal, leather, natural cloth, synthetic cloth, plastic, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment of the above invention, the counters may be selected from the group including, but not limited to, a numeric/analog dial, a digital dial, an LED display, a digital display, a mechanical counter, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the counter is non-electronic. In yet another embodiment, the counter is electronic. In still another embodiment, the counter 20 is mechanical such as a tally counter which is known in the art. In the case of a counter being an electronic counter, the counter may include a circuit chip, a display and a battery to power the circuit chip and display. In another embodiment, an electronic counter may be powered by a battery, a solar cell, or a combination thereof.
The present invention further includes a method for using a beverage counting device comprising the steps of: providing a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and two counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages that an individual has consumed by then;
a) obtaining a beverage to drink;
b) actuating a button on a first counter to record an alcoholic beverage or actuating a button on a second counter to record a non-alcoholic beverage;
c) consuming the beverage; and
d) repeating steps a) through c) until no further beverages are consumed.
In one embodiment of any of the above methods, the one or more counters may be electronic counters and the electronic counters are powered by a battery, a solar cell, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the above method may further comprise one or more time components selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof and further adding the steps of:
The present invention further includes another method for using a beverage counting device comprising the steps of: providing a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and one or more counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of either alcoholic beverages or non-alcoholic beverages that an individual has consumed by then;
a) obtaining a beverage to drink;
b) rotating a dial on a first counter to record the beverage;
c) consuming the beverage; and
d) repeating steps a) through c) until no further beverages are consumed.
In one embodiment of any of the above methods, the beverages may be alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the above method may further comprise one or more time components selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof and further adding the steps of:
The present invention further includes a method for using a beverage counting device comprising the steps of: providing a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and two counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages that an individual has consumed by then;
a) obtaining a beverage to drink;
b) rotating a dial on a first counter to record an alcoholic beverage or rotating a dial on a second counter to record a non-alcoholic beverage;
c) consuming the beverage; and
d) repeating steps a) through c) until no further beverages are consumed.
In another embodiment, the above method may further comprise one or more time components selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof and further adding the steps of:
The present invention further includes another method for using a beverage counting device comprising the steps of: providing a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and one or more counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of either alcoholic beverages or non-alcoholic beverages that an individual has consumed by then;
a) obtaining a beverage to drink;
b) sliding or moving a counter on the wrist band to record the beverage;
c) consuming the beverage; and
d) repeating steps a) through c) until no further beverages are consumed.
In one embodiment of any of the above methods, the beverages may be alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the above method may further comprise one or more time components selected from the group including a timer, a stopwatch, a chronometer, or a combination thereof and further adding the steps of:
Any of the above device embodiments described above may be incorporated into and/or adapted to be utilized in the methods described above. While the invention has been described in detail, modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. In view of the foregoing discussion, relevant knowledge in the art and references discussed above in connection with the Background and Detailed Description, the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by reference, further description is deemed unnecessary. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the invention and portions of various embodiments may be combined or interchanged either in whole or in part. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention.
The present invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit and the essential attributes thereof, and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention. Additionally, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.
