Patent Application
20140131230
The present invention relates to a drinking vessel, and more specifically to a drinking vessel which is useful for enclosing a source of a fluid to be dispensed, and which further receives, and encloses a solid food product within the drinking vessel, and which is additively combined, at least in part, to the source of the fluid which is dispensed.
Drinking vessels, and more specifically, personal hydration bottles, are used widely by consumers to dispense various aqueous based consumable drinks. Such hydration bottles have been used to dispense, for example, water, energy drinks, soft drinks, fruit/vegetable juices, and assorted other stimulant beverages.
As of late, it has become quite popular for consumers to consume various types of so-called energy drinks. These drinks may include various water-based constituent elements which are used to replace vitamins, minerals, and various body nutrients, such as sodium, and which may have been lost while a consumer was engaged in vigorous athletic activities, or other events. Additionally, many health conscious consumers have been looking for various means for consuming ever increasing amounts of water, and other aqueous based drinks, to improve their health, and day-to-day living. Many consumers may have two or more hydration bottles which may be left at various locations so that they have ready access to water or another aqueous-based drinks during their day-to-day activities. The prior art hydration bottles typically utilized by consumers are usually fabricated from thermo-moldable plastics, and sometimes, stainless steel or the like.
While these various hydration bottles and drinking containers which have been fabricated in the past have operated with varying degrees of success, they have shortcomings which have detracted from their usefulness. Chief among the shortcomings associated with the prior art hydration or other drinking vessel designs is the propensity for such containers, or vessels, to sometimes change the flavor of the liquid or fluid, which is to be dispensed, in a manner which is unsatisfactory to the consumer. For example, in the case of hydration bottles or other drinking vessels fabricated from synthetic polymers of various types, such containers, on occasion, may absorb a small portion of a previous liquid drink that was stored in the vessel. The taste of this previous drink is then imparted to the new drink which is stored in the container. Moreover, if the drink is stored for a significant period of time in the container, consumers often sense that the flavor of the drink is now somewhat stale, or altered, and not as refreshing as when it was first poured into the hydration bottle or drinking vessel.
Attempts have been made in the prior art to alter, change, or somewhat freshen the taste of various aqueous based drinks in order to remove the effects that the storage container has on the drink, or further due to the flavor of the drink as it was delivered to the container. For example, tap water from some municipal supplies, often has an undesirable taste. Such efforts to alter the taste of a liquid or fluid have included the addition of various fruits, and/or vegetables including limes, oranges, cucumbers, and the like to the water. The addition of these fruits and/or vegetables sometimes significantly changes the taste of the water so that it is much more pleasing and palatable to a consumer. Typically, in the case of consumers using hydration bottles, often this water is prepared in a pitcher or other container where the fruits and/or vegetables are added. Thereafter, the water is then delivered into a hydration bottle, as needed. Usually, the fruit and/or vegetables are not added to the hydration bottle because of the difficulties associated with the later removal of the fruit and/or vegetable material after use from the inside of the container or bottle. However, in the case where a consumer might repeatedly refill a hydration bottle during a day's activities, water which may have been otherwise prepared by being exposed or treated with various fruits and/or vegetables, quickly is depleted and subsequent water added to the container will often not have that same flavorful and refreshing taste.
Therefore, a hydration bottle which addresses these and other shortcomings in the prior art containers which have been utilized, heretofore, is the subject matter of the present invention.
A first aspect of the present invention relates to a drinking vessel which includes a container defining an internal cavity, and having a neck which communicates with the internal cavity; a removable cover for releasably, matingly coupling with the neck of the container, and which further has a drinking passageway formed therein, and wherein the removable cover has an inwardly, and an outwardly facing surface; and a foraminous enclosure having an internal cavity, and which is releasably coupled to the inwardly facing surface of the removable cover, and which is further inserted through the neck, and into the internal cavity of the container, when the removable cover is releasably coupled to the container.
Still another aspect of the present invention relates to a drinking vessel which includes a container defining an internal cavity, and which encloses a source of a fluid to be dispensed, and wherein the container is defined by a sidewall having an inside facing surface, and which further defines the internal cavity, and an outside facing surface, and wherein the sidewall of the container forms, at least in part, a neck, and wherein the neck further defines an aperture which allows access to the internal cavity of the container, and wherein the outside facing surface of the neck defines an outwardly facing engagement member; a removable cover for releasably, matingly coupling with the neck of the container, and which further selectively occludes the aperture defined by the neck, and wherein the removable cover further has a drinking passageway formed therein, and which has a first, and a second end, and wherein the removable cover has an inwardly, and an outwardly facing surface, and wherein the engagement member which is made integral with the neck matingly cooperates with the inside facing surface of the removable cover; a source of a food product which is formed from a multiplicity of small, solid matter pieces, and which further has a portion which can be mixed with the source of the fluid which is enclosed within the internal cavity of the container; a foraminous enclosure having an internal cavity, and wherein the source of the food product is enclosed within the internal cavity that is defined by the foraminous enclosure, and wherein the foraminous enclosure has an end which is releasably coupled to the inside facing surface of the removable cover, and wherein the foraminous enclosure is sized so as to pass through the aperture defined by the neck of the container, and be received, at least in part, within the internal cavity defined by the container; and a strainer having a porous main body which is received, at least in part, within the internal cavity that is defined by the foraminous enclosure, and which communicates in fluid flowing relation relative to the internal cavity of the container, and wherein the porous main body has a flange member which is captured, at least in part, between the foraminous container, and the inside facing surface of the removable cover, and which further secures the porous main body of the strainer within the internal cavity that is defined by the foraminous enclosure.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described, below, with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure of the present invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. patent laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts.” (Article I, Section 8).
Turning now to
The drinking vessel 10 of the present invention includes a removable cover 30 for releasably, matingly coupling with the neck 22 of the container 11. The removable cover is defined by a main body 31, and which has a peripheral edge 32, and which further has opposite, inside and outside facing surfaces 33 and 34, respectfully. Additionally, a drinking passageway 35 is formed therein, and extends therethrough. The drinking passageway has a first end 36, and an opposite, second end 37.
The removable cover 30, as earlier disclosed, has a drinking passageway 35. The drinking passageway 35 is defined by a sidewall that is generally indicated by the numeral 40. As seen in
As seen by studying
The drinking vessel 10 of the present invention further includes a foraminous enclosure 70, which is formed of a main body 71, and which further has a first end 72, and an opposite second end 73. A bottom surface 74 is located at the second end 73, and which is sealably coupled to a generally upstanding foraminous sidewall 75. The sidewall 75 has a multiplicity of foramens or apertures formed therein and which allows the source of the liquid 26 to pass therethrough. The foraminous sidewall 75 has an inside facing surface 80, and an outside facing surface 81. The inside facing surface 80 defines the internal cavity 76 of the foraminous enclosure 70. Additionally, the foraminous sidewall 75, at the second end 73, defines a neck region 82. The neck region 82 forms an aperture 83 through which a source of food products, as will be described below, pass so as to be received within the internal cavity 76 of the main body 71. Additionally, and as will be seen in the drawings, a circumscribing rib 84 is affixed to the outside facing surface 81 of the foraminous sidewall 75, and provides a convenient means for limiting the screwthreadable advancing movement of the main body 71, as it is moved into screwthreadable engagement with a removable cover 30, as will be described, below. Additionally, and as will be seen in the drawings, a screwthread 85 is formed in the outwardly facing surface 81 of the foraminous sidewall 75, and which is located at the second end 73. This screwthread 85, is operable to threadably mate and cooperatively engage the screw threads 63, which are formed on the inside facing surface 62 of the second depending and circumscribing sidewall 60, and which is further made integral with the removable cover 30. As noted above, the internal cavity 76, of the main body 71, is operable to receive a source of food products, as will be described in the paragraphs, below.
The drinking vessel 10 of the present invention further includes a strainer, which is generally indicated by the numeral 90. The strainer has a porous main body 91, which has a first end 92, and an opposite second end 93. The porous main body is defined by an outside facing surface 94, and an opposite inside facing surface 95. The inside facing surface 95 defines an internal cavity 96. The porous main body 91 is located, at least in part, between the inside facing surface 33, of the removable cover 30, and the second end of the foraminous container 70, and wherein the drinking passageway 35 communicates in fluid flowing relative to the porous main body 91, as will be described below.
The drinking vessel 10 of the present invention, as described above, includes the strainer 90. The strainer, as earlier described, has a porous main body 91, and which has a bottom surface 100, which is further located within the internal cavity 76, as defined by the foraminous enclosure 70. The bottom surface of the porous main body 91 has formed therein a multiplicity of apertures 101, which have a given size, and which further permits the passage of the source of the liquid 26, therethrough, but otherwise prohibits the passage of large portions, or significantly sized particles of a food product, as will be described in greater detail, below. The strainer 90 further includes a circumscribing flange member 102, which is located at the second end 93 of the porous main body. The flange member 102 has a top surface 103, and an opposite bottom surface 104. Still further, a plurality of apertures 105 are formed in the circumscribing flange member 102, and extend therethrough, and which further permit the source of the liquid 26 to pass therethrough. Additionally, and as seen in the drawings, it will be noted that a circumscribing rib member 110 is mounted on the top surface of the circumscribing flange 102 and extends upwardly therefrom. The circumscribing rib 110 is operable to engage the inside facing surface 33, of the removable cover 30, so as to space the top surface 103 a predetermined distance from the inside facing surface 33 to provide a gap or passageway 111, which allows for the movement of the source of liquid 26 therebetween, and be received back into the internal cavity 96, as defined by the porous main body 91 (
As illustrated in the drawings, the foraminous enclosure 70 is operable to receive, within the internal cavity 76, a source of a food product 120, and through which the source of the liquid to be dispensed 26, passes through, and comingles with, before being received in the drinking passageway 25. In this regard, the source of a food product 120 may include assorted fruits and vegetables, some of which may be put in whole, or some of which may be segmented or divided into small portions, or particles, 121, which are then received in the internal cavity 76 of the foraminous enclosure. The source of the food product 120 is provided for purposes of flavoring or otherwise additively combining a portion of the food product, such as the juices provided by the fruit or vegetables, to the source of the liquid 26 to be dispensed. This portion of the food product is then mixed with the source of the liquid to produce a comingled liquid, before it is received within the drinking passageway 35, and then consumed by a user, not shown. Therefore, it will be seen in this arrangement, that a user of the drinking vessel 10 is provided with a convenient means by which the source of the liquid that they consume can be easily tailored to meet their tastes, and to further replenish various body fluids which they may have lost through vigorous athletic activity, or the like.
The source of the liquid 26, which is received within the container 11, moves along a bifurcated path of travel from the internal cavity 20 of the container 11. More specifically, the bifurcated path of travel 122 includes a first course of travel 123, where the source of the liquid to be dispensed 26 moves from the internal cavity 20, through the foraminous container 70, and into contact with the source of the food product 120, where it is flavored. Thereafter, the comingled or flavored source of liquid 26 moves through the strainer 90, where it is then received within the drinking passageway 35, where it moves from the first end 36, to the second end 37, thereof. The bifurcated path of travel 122 includes a second course of travel 124. The second course of travel extends from the internal cavity 20 of the container 11, and into the foraminous container or enclosure 70, where the source of the food product 120 may flavor the source of the liquid 26 passing therethrough. Thereafter, the flavored source of liquid moves through the plurality of apertures 105, which are formed in the circumscribing flange 102, which is located at the second end 93 of the porous main body 91 of the strainer 90. Once the source of the liquid passes through the circumscribing flange 102, the source of the liquid then moves along the passageway 111, which is defined between the top surface 103 of the circumscribing flange 102, and the second, inside facing surface 33 of the removable cap 30. The source of the liquid 26 then moves along the passageway 111, where it is then received in the internal cavity 96, of the porous main body 91, of the strainer 90. The source of the liquid then moves into the first end 36 of the drinking passageway 35 where it is then dispensed.
It should be recognized that the construction of the present drinking vessel 10 provides many conveniences inasmuch as the removal or screwthreadable detachment of the removable cover 30 allows the foraminous enclosure 70 to be easily retrieved from inside of the container 11. Further, the foraminous enclosure may be easily, screwthreadably detached from the removable cover 30, and thereafter allows a user to easily retrieve, and clean the strainer 90. Further, the present invention provides a convenient means whereby the user may quickly replenish the source of the liquid 26, and then easily reinsert the foraminous enclosure 70, and reattach the removable cover 30 with a minimum of effort.
The operation of the described embodiment of the present invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point.
In its broadest aspect, the drinking vessel 10 of the present invention includes a container 11 which defines an internal cavity 20, and which further has a neck 22, which communicates with the internal cavity 20. The drinking vessel 10 further includes a removable cover 30 for releasably, matingly coupling with the neck 22 of the container 11, and which further has a drinking passageway 35 formed therein. The removable cover 30 has an inwardly, and an outwardly facing surface 33 and 34, respectively. The drinking vessel 10 further includes a foraminous enclosure 70, having an internal cavity 76. The foraminous enclosure is releasably coupled to the inwardly facing surface 33 of the removable cover 30. The foraminous enclosure is further inserted through the neck 22, and into the internal cavity 20, of the container 11, and then the removable cover 30 is releasably coupled to the container 11.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a drinking vessel 10, and which includes the container 11. The container 11 defines an internal cavity 20, and which encloses a source of a fluid 26 to be dispensed. The container 11 is defined, at least in part, by sidewall 13, having an inside facing surface 15, and an outside facing surface 14. The sidewall 13 of the container 11 defines a neck 22. The neck 22 further defines an aperture 24, which allows access to the internal cavity 20 of the container 11. The outside facing surface 14, of the neck 22, defines an outwardly facing engagement member 25, here shown as a screw thread. The drinking vessel 10, also includes a removable cover 30 for releasably, matingly coupling with the neck 22, of the container 11, and which further selectively occludes the aperture 24, which is defined by the neck 22. The removable cover 30 further has a drinking passageway 35 which is formed therein, and which has a first, and a second end 36 and 37, respectively. The removable cover 30 has an inwardly, and an outwardly facing surface 33 and 34, respectively. The engagement member 25, here shown as a screw thread, is made integral with the neck and matingly cooperates with the inside facing surface 33 of the removable cover 30, and more specifically the first, circumscribing sidewall 50. A source of a food product 120, which is formed from a multiplicity of small, solid matter pieces 121, and further which has a portion, such as juice, which can be mixed with the source of the fluid 26, is enclosed within the internal cavity 20 of the container 11. The drinking vessel 10 includes a foraminous enclosure 70, having an internal cavity 76. In this arrangement, the source of the food product 120 is received within the internal cavity 76, that is defined by the foraminous enclosure 70. The foraminous enclosure 70 has one end 73, which is releasably coupled to the inside facing surface 33 of the removable cover 30 by means of the second, depending and circumscribing sidewall 60. The foraminous enclosure 70 is sized so as to pass through the aperture 24, which is defined by the neck 22 of the container 11, and be received, at least in part, within the internal cavity defined by the container 11. The drinking vessel 10 also includes a strainer 90, having a porous main body 91, and which is received, at least in part, within the internal cavity 76, which is defined by the foraminous enclosure 70, and which communicates in fluid flowing relation, relative to the internal cavity 20 of the container 11. The porous main body 91 has a flange member 102, which is captured, at least in part, between the foraminous enclosure 70, and the inside facing surface 33 of the removable cover 30, and which further secures the porous main body 91 of the strainer 90 within the internal cavity 71, as defined by the foraminous enclosure 70.
The drinking vessel 10 of the present invention, and more specifically the internal cavity 20 of the container 11, has a predetermined volume, and the foraminous enclosurer 70 has a volume which is less than about 50% of the volume of the internal cavity of the container 11. Additionally, and as should be understood from the drawings, the source of the fluid 26 passes from the internal cavity 20 of the container 11, and into the internal cavity 76 of the foraminous container 70. The portion 121 of the food product 120, which can be mixed with the source of the fluid 26 commingles with the source of the fluid 26 to form a comingled liquid solution and which then passes through the strainer 90 and is received within the drinking passageway 30 for dispensing to a user, not shown. In the arrangement as seen in the drawings, the porous main body 91 of the strainer 90 defines an internal cavity 96. The porous main body 91 of the strainer 90 is telescopingly received within the internal cavity 76, which is defined by the foraminous enclosure 70. The porous main body 91 of the strainer 90 has a bottom surface 104, which has formed therein a multiplicity of apertures 105, which individually inhibit the passage of the small solid matter pieces 121, which form a part of the source of the food product 120 from moving into the internal cavity 96 of the porous main body 91. This further allows the source of the fluid 26 and the comingled solution to pass therethrough, and be received in the drinking passageway 35.
Therefore, it will be seen that the present drinking vessel provides many advantages which are not available in the prior art. The current drinking vessel arrangement 10 is easy to utilize. Further the foraminous enclosure 70 is quickly filled with food product, and further the invention provides a convenient, and very easy means by which a user may flavor their desired drinks with fruits and/or vegetables in a manner not possible heretofore.
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalence.
