Patent Application
20170215614
The disclosures made herein relate generally to beverage container holding apparatuses and, more particularly, to beverage container holding apparatuses that are configured for floating in a body of liquid (e.g., water) while a beverage container is held therein.
It is well known that many recreational activities participated in within a body of water often also entail consumption of containerized beverages. Regardless of the specific activity, it is an inconvenience to a person to have to continually hold their containerized beverage while in the water. As such, beverage container holding apparatuses that float in water are useful during such activities are desirable and useful.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a beverage container holding apparatus that floats in water. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a beverage container holding apparatus configured for being able to be both floated in water and being supported by a rigid support surface such as, for example, a countertop or table. Advantageously, beverage container holding apparatuses configured in accordance with embodiments of the present invention limit the potential for the beverage container holding apparatus and a beverage container held therein to overturn and to exhibit floatation (i.e., buoyancy) stability as a volume of liquid within the beverage container changes such as through consumption thereof. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the beverage container holding apparatus additionally serves to insulate the contents of the beverage container held therein.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a beverage container holding apparatus comprises a beverage container holding structure, an L-shaped ballast arm, and ballast weight. The beverage container holding structure has a bottom wall and a side wall jointly defining a beverage container receiving space. The bottom wall includes a ballast arm mount. The L-shaped ballast arm includes two ballast arm segments each having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the two ballast arm segments are attached to each other to form the L-shaped ballast arm. The second end portion of a first one of the two ballast arm segments is pivotably attached to the ballast arm mount for allowing the ballast arm to be selectively moved to a deployed position and a stowed position with respect to the beverage container holding structure. The second one of the ballast arm segments has a variable length. The ballast weight is attached to the second end portion of the second one of the ballast arm segments.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a beverage container holding apparatus comprises a beverage container holding structure, a ballast weight, and an L-shaped ballast arm. The beverage container holding structure has a bottom wall and a side wall jointly defining a beverage container receiving space. The L-shaped ballast arm has two ballast arm segments each having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the two ballast arm segments are attached to each other to form the L-shaped ballast arm. The second end portion of a first one of the two ballast arm segments is moveably attached to the bottom wall of the beverage container holding structure for allowing the ballast arm to be selectively moved to a deployed position and a stowed position with respect to the beverage container holding structure. The ballast weight is connected to the second end portion of a second one of the ballast arm segments.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a beverage container holding apparatus comprises a beverage container holding structure, a ballast arm, and ballast weight. The beverage container holding structure has a cylindrically shaped side wall and a generally round bottom wall that is substantially concentric with the side wall. The ballast arm has a first end portion and a second end portion. The ballast arm is pivotably attached at the first end portion thereof to the bottom wall at a position approximately midway between a center location of the bottom wall and an outside diameter of the side wall. A first segment of the ballast arm has a length equal to about one-quarter the outside diameter dimension of the side wall and a second segment of the ballast arm has a length substantially greater than the length of the first segment. A bend is provided in the ballast arm between the first and second segments such that the second end portion of the ballast arm is substantially below the bottom wall when the ballast arm is in a deployed position and is substantially above the bottom wall when in a stowed position. The ballast weight is attached to the second end portion of the ballast arm.
These and other objects, embodiments, advantages and/or distinctions of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification, associated drawings and appended claims.
Referring now to
The L-shaped ballast arm 104 is pivotably (i.e., moveably) attached at its first end portion 117 to the bottom wall 110 of the beverage container holding structure 102. In preferred embodiments, the bottom wall 110 includes a ballast arm mount 118 (e.g., a mounting portion of the bottom wall 110). The L-shaped ballast arm 104 includes a first ballast arm segment 120 and a second ballast arm segment 122. Each one of the ballast arm segments 120, 122 has a first end portion and a second end portion. The second end portion of the first ballast arm segment 120 defines the first end portion 117 of the L-shaped ballast arm 104. The second end portion of the second ballast arm segment 122 defines a second end portion 119 of the L-shaped ballast arm 104. The first end portion of the first and second ballast arm segments 120, 122 are attached to each other. The second end portion of the first ballast arm segment 120 is pivotably attached to the ballast arm mount 118 for allowing the L-shaped ballast arm 104 to be selectively moved to a deployed position D and a stowed position S with respect to the beverage container holding structure 102.
The ballast arm mount 118 defines a pivot axis of the L-shaped ballast 104. A location of the ballast arm mount 118 and respective lengths of the first and second ballast arm segments 120, 122 are jointly configured such that the second end portion 122 of the L-shaped ballast arm 104 is substantially below the bottom wall 110 and, preferably, posited at or near a centerline longitudinal axis of the beverage container holding structure 102 when the L-shaped ballast arm 104 is in the deployed position D and is substantially above the bottom wall 110 when in the stowed position S. In preferred embodiments, the pivot axis defined by the ballast arm mount 118 is located at a position approximately midway between a center location of the bottom wall 110 (i.e., location on a longitudinal centerline axis of the beverage container holding structure 102) and an outside diameter of the side wall 108. Also in preferred embodiments, the first ballast arm segment 120 has a length equal to about one-quarter the outside diameter dimension of the side wall 108 and the second ballast arm segment 122 has a length substantially greater than the length of the first ballast arm segment 120.
Preferably, the beverage container holding apparatus 100 includes one or more ballast arm retaining elements attached to the beverage container holding structure 102, the L-shaped ballast arm 104, or both. The one or more ballast arm retaining elements provide a ballast arm retaining interface between the L-shaped ballast arm 104 and the beverage container holding structure 102 for selectively securing the ballast arm in the stowed position S, in the deployed position D or both. In one embodiment, shown in
A ballast arm receiving space 124 is provided in a bottom surface of the beverage container holding structure 102 (e.g., jointly within exterior face of the bottom wall 110 and, if needed, the end face of the side wall 108. The first ballast arm segment 120 is positioned within a first portion of the ballast arm receiving space 124 (i.e., inboard of the ballast arm mount 118) when the L-shaped ballast arm 104 is in the deployed position D. The first ballast arm segment 120 is positioned in a second portion of the ballast arm receiving space 124 (i.e., outboard of the ballast arm mount 118) when the L-shaped ballast arm 104 is in the stowed position S. Preferably, a depth of the ballast arm receiving space 124, a thickness of the first ballast arm segment 120, and a position of the pivot axis defined by the ballast arm mount 118 are jointly configured such that an exposed bottom surface of the first ballast arm segment 120 is flush with or within the bottom surface of the beverage container holding apparatus 100 (e.g., the surface of the bottom wall 110) when the L-shaped ballast arm 104 is in the stowed position S, thereby advantageously allowing the beverage container holding apparatus 100 to be securely seated on a rigid support surface such as, for example, a countertop or table.
The ballast weight 106 is attached to the second end portion 122 of the L-shaped ballast arm 104. In preferred embodiments, the magnitude of the ballast weight 106 and the position of the ballast weight 106 with respect to the bottom wall 110 when the L-shaped ballast arm 104 is in the deployed position D are jointly configured to provide stable buoyancy for a mass of beverage contained within a beverage container intended/expected to be received within the beverage container holding structure 102 (e.g., standard 12 ounce can or bottle of beverage). Advantageously, the distance that the ballast weight 106 is offset from the bottom wall 110 of the beverage container holding structure 102 provides a leverage effect, thereby allowing the ballast weight 106 to be of a relatively lightweight and small size as compared to if such offset was less.
It is disclosed herein that the second ballast arm segment 122 can have a variable length, as shown. For example, in preferred embodiments, the second ballast arm segment 122 includes an extension member 126 that carries the ballast weight 106. The extension member 126 is translatable (or other wise moveable) to a retracted position R and an extended position E thereby providing the variable length of the second ballast arm segment 122. Such variable length contributes to the above-mentioned leverage effect and the relatively lightweight and small size of the ballast weight 106. Advantageously, the ability to retract the ballast weight in such variable length implementation makes the container holding apparatus 100 less likely to topple over when the ballast arm 104 is in the stowed position.
In view of the disclosures made herein, a skilled person will appreciate that the ballast arm can be integral with a beverage container holding structure adapter rather than integral with the beverage container holding structure. In such an embodiment of the present invention, the beverage container holding structure adapter would be configured for being attached to an existing beverage container holding structure (e.g., foam koozie). For example, the beverage container holding structure adapter can be configured with a receptacle that received a lower portion of the existing beverage container holding structure or can attached to the existing beverage container holding via an aperture in a bottom wall thereof. The ballast arm and ballast weight would otherwise be operable for being moved to a stowed position and a deployed position with respect to the beverage container holding structure adapter and thus also to the existing beverage container holding structure when the beverage container holding structure adapter is attached thereto. For example, a bottom view of the beverage container holding structure adapter can have the general configuration at a bottom view of the beverage container holding apparatus 100, except without there being any visual representation of a side wall and a bottom wall (e.g., the beverage container holding structure adapter can be a one-piece structure that attached to the bottom portion of the existing beverage container holding structure). Such an implementation of the present invention is disclosed herein as being an accessory article for use with a beverage container holding structure.
In a specific example of a beverage container holding apparatus configured in accordance with the present invention, certain structural design parameters have been identified for providing suitable buoyancy performance and fixed-surface stability performance for a 4″ tall foam beverage container holder with a 12 oz. can of beverage held therein. These structural design parameters include, a ballast weight of about 2.4 oz, a deployed and extended ballast arm length of about 9.5″, and a stowed and retracted ballast arm length of about 5″. In view of the disclosures made herein, a skilled person, without undue experimentation, will have required knowledge and information to devise beverage container holding apparatuses and/or beverage container holding structure adapters configured in accordance with the present invention that have respective structural design parameters providing suitable buoyancy performance and fixed-surface stability performance.
A skilled person will appreciate that the various elements of a beverage container holding apparatus configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can be made from various known materials. For example, the beverage container holding structure can be made from a conventional insulating material such as closed cell foam. Such a foam container holding structure can include rigid or semi-rigid elements such as for the ballast arm mount (s), the ballast arm retaining element(s), and the like.
Although the invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in all its aspects. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent technologies, structures, methods and uses such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
