BOTTLE BUDDY

Abstract

The Bottle Buddy is a new product to help keep bottled beverages cold while allowing them to stand firmly on a flat surface and also fit firmly in today's modern cup or drink holders. The Bottle Buddy is buoyant so if dropped in water it floats whether bottle is full of fluid or empty. The main improvement to current products on the market is the fact that the Bottle Buddy stands on the bottle's own firm base and also allows for a firm grasp inside a cup holder. It provides for a nice comfortable grip on the beverage and provides floatation if dropped into the water while a bottle is inside the Bottle Buddy.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT (IF APPLICABLE)

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX (IF APPLICABLE)

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I invented the Bottle Buddy as an improvement over currently available bottle insulators. I wanted to create a bottle insulator that would keep the beverage inside cold, insulate the hand holding the cold bottle, provide stability for the bottle when sitting on flat surfaces, and to fit in modern-day cup holders more securely than currently available bottle insulators. I wanted to make a bottle insulator that would be buoyant and keep bottled beverages from sinking in water (lakes, rivers, ponds). My current design of the Bottle Buddy fits a 12 oz bottle, but I would like to also make them to fit wine bottles.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Bottle Buddy has advantages over previous products in that it allows a beverage bottle to sit on its own bottom as opposed to material between itself and surface supporting bottle making it unstable and unable to sit firmly on a table. The Bottle Buddy's design allows it to hold a 12 oz. bottle firmly in today's common cup holders whereas previously existing products don't. Bottle Buddy increases the buoyancy of bottled beverages therefore keeping them from sinking if dropped in water.

The bottle would be installed into the bottom of Bottle Buddy and as opposed to the top like current products on the market. Place bottle on flat stable surface and press bottle buddy over bottle until firmly seated over bottle, remove bottle cap, enjoy your beverage. To remove an empty bottle from Bottle Buddy, hold Bottle Buddy in one hand while pushing top of bottle back down and out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

1. FIG. 1A depicts a cutout side view of the Bottle Buddy. The highlighted area represents the Bottle buddy foam which insulates the bottle. The foam is ½ inch thick, and tappers to the bottle neck. The bottom of the foam is cut square at bottom of the bottle at the base.

2. FIG. 2A depicts a top view of the bottle buddy. This drawing shows the outside dimension of the Bottle Buddy (3⅜″), and the inside dimension where foam is tapered and stops at the base of the bottle neck (1⅜″).

3. FIG. 2B depicts bottom view of Bottle Buddy. This drawing shows outside dimension of Bottle Buddy at its base (3⅜″). The thickness of Bottle Buddy (½″). The inside Diameter is 2⅜″ as shown in FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Bottle Buddy is a 12 oz long neck bottle insulating cover that helps keep beverages cold. It is made of ½ inch closed-cell polyethylene foam (or similar). The Bottle Buddy is currently fabricated using a flat sheet of ½ inch closed-cell polyethylene foam. The foam sheet is heated in oven until very pliable. Once foam has reached mold-able temperature, it is draped over a bottle or bottle form and vacuum formed around the form of a bottle that the Bottle Buddy will serve. Once foam cools the bottom foam is cut off as is the foam that covers the neck of the bottle. The rest of the excess foam is trimmed and buffed to shape. The seam is then glued to complete the fabrication processes.

My vision is for this procedure to be replaced with an injection molding process to allow for production to keep up with demand which may include other types of foams. Foam is available in many colors and product logos can easily be applied if this product goes to market. FIGS. 1A, 2A, and 2B are drawings to help understand its final form. Prototypes have been made and field tested. FIG. 3A is an actual picture of a prototype.

Claims

1. The Bottle Buddy is an improvement over currently available bottle insulators in that it will keep the beverage inside cold, insulate the hand holding the cold bottle, provide stability for the bottle when sitting on flat surfaces, and fit in modern-day cup holders more securely than currently available bottle insulators. It will be buoyant and keep bottled beverages from sinking in water (lakes, rivers, ponds). The Bottle Buddy can be made to fit any size or shape bottle.