The invention pertains to cups, pitchers, and other liquid containing vessels.
Condensation forms on the outside of glassware when water vapor in the air contacts and collects on the cooler outer surface of the glassware and converts from gaseous water vapor back into liquid droplets once a sufficient amount of condensation has collected on the outside of the glassware. The droplets slide down past the base and onto the surface (e.g., table) on which the glassware rests. The falling condensation can soak into the surface and cause damage depending on the material of the surface. Condensation is not unique to glassware and can also form on plastic liquid containing vessels, metallic (e.g., copper) liquid containing vessels, and liquid containing vessels of other materials.
Coasters address the issue of falling condensation. A coaster is typically a flat disc that is placed between the liquid containing vessel and the surface on which the liquid containing vessel is placed. The coaster is made of an absorbent material that soaks up the falling condensation before the condensation contacts the surface on which the liquid containing vessel is placed.
Coasters are inconvenient and aesthetically unpleasing, especially for formal dining. Accordingly, there is a need to prevent condensation from running off a liquid containing vessel onto furniture or other surfaces without placing a separate coaster underneath the liquid containing vessel. Stated differently, there is a need to integrate coaster functionality as part of the liquid containing vessel in a manner that does not ruin the aesthetic look of the liquid containing vessel or the functionality of the liquid containing vessel. There is further a need for such a liquid containing vessel with an integrated coaster to be reusable and dishwasher safe all while looking and feeling like traditional liquid containing vessels without the integrated coaster.
A preferred embodiment for liquid containing vessels with an integrated coaster will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Liquid containing vessels with an integrated “coaster” are disclosed. The integrated coaster prevents condensation and other liquid from pooling at the base of or underneath the vessel and from transferring to furniture or other surfaces onto which the vessels are placed. In particular, the liquid containing vessels incorporate a trapping element in various forms. The trapping element traps about a base of the vessel the condensation that forms and drips about the outside of the vessel. In some embodiments, the trapping element is a highly porous adsorptive material that adheres to individual condensation droplets upon contact. In some other embodiments, the trapping element is an absorptive material into which the condensation droplet dissolve or soak upon contact. In this manner, the liquid containing vessels with the integrated coaster prevent the condensation from dripping past and under the vessel base, thereby eliminating the need for a separate coaster.
Different embodiments of the liquid containing vessel with integrated coaster include liquid containing vessels made of different materials such as glass, metal (e.g., copper, stainless steel, etc.), and plastic as some examples. The embodiments further include liquid containing vessels with an integrated coaster having different shapes, uses, or applications including wine glasses, tumblers, mugs, pitchers, carafes, decanters, thermoses, water bottles, and other liquid containing vessels of different shapes (e.g., rectangular, cylindrical, bulbous, etc.) and sizes (e.g., 4 ounces, 8 ounces, 16 ounces, 1 gallon, etc.). The liquid containing vessels with integrated coaster can be washed, dried, and re-used without losing the ability to trap condensation with the integrated coaster. In many embodiments, the liquid containing vessels are dishwasher safe.
In some embodiments, the liquid containing vessels with integrated coaster have a liquid containing volume upper portion, a lower portion base, a channel between the upper portion and the lower portion, and a trapping element inset within the channel. Condensation that forms about the outer surface of the upper portion flows downward and into the channel. The channel is curved or otherwise shaped to redirect the condensation from the outer surface of the upper portion to make contact with the trapping element. The trapping element comprises an adsorptive or absorptive material that removes the condensation from the outer surface of the vessel by adhering to the condensation (i.e., adsorption) or by soaking the condensation (i.e., absorption). Consequently, the base and surface underneath the liquid containing vessel remains dry at all times. The trapping element thereby prevents the condensation from dripping on the surface or on the person using the liquid containing vessel with integrated coaster.
In some embodiments, the liquid containing volume upper portion is formed to resemble the upper portions of traditional glassware without an integrated coaster. This is a volume that retains some amount of liquid whether for drinking, pouring, or other purposes. The upper portion can have a variety of shapes, sizes, and dimensions.
Directly underneath the upper portion is the channel. The channel is a cylindrical cavity surrounding a stem or gasket that connects the upper portion to the base. The channel is formed by leaving exposed a distance between the outer circumference of the drinking vessel and the center of the drinking vessel. More specifically, the cylindrical cavity has a radius or width that is less than a radius or width of either the upper portion or base. In some embodiments, the bottom edge of the upper portion is curved so as to redirect the condensation from the outer surface of the upper portion into the channel towards the stem or gasket. In some other embodiments, the bottom edge of the upper portion is flat so as to provide a straight, albeit potentially angled, transition to the channel.
The base is directly below the channel. In some embodiments, the base is formed to resemble the base of traditional glassware without an integrated coaster. The base provides stability when resting the vessel atop a flat surface. In particular, the base holds the vessel upright when placed atop a flat surface such as a table, bar, or other furniture.
In some embodiments, the trapping element is formed in the shape of the exposed cavity of the channel so that the trapping element fits flush within the channel. In other words, the outer circumference of the trapping element aligns with the outer circumferences of the upper portion and base regardless of the shape upper portion or base (e.g., cylindrical, conical, bulbous, rectangular, etc.). In preferred embodiments, the trapping element is in the form of a ring or disc so as to match the cylindrical or conical shape of most glassware.
In
The width and height of the channel and trapping element vary between the different embodiments. A wider channel with a wider trapping element will allow the trapping element to have more of the adsorptive or absorptive material such that the trapping element can remove and trap greater amounts of condensation. Similarly, a taller channel and taller trapping element will increase the amount of the adsorptive or absorptive material, and thereby the amount of condensation that can be removed and trapped by the trapping element. The height of the channel and trapping element also affects the speed with which the trapping element dries. The greater height exposes more surface area of the trapping element to the open air. The trapping element is porous in nature such that the greater the amount of air coming into contact with the trapping element, the faster the evaporation of the trapped condensation will take place. The width and the height of the channel and trapping element can range between ⅛ to 1 inch for drinking glassware and even larger widths and heights (i.e., up to 2 inches) for the channels and trapping elements of pitchers, decanters, and other larger volume liquid containing vessels.
In some other embodiments, the trapping element is integrated into the vessel base instead of being inset in the channel. In other words, the base contains the adsorptive or absorptive material.
In still some other embodiments, the trapping element is a solid that is the base or a significant part of the base. In other words, the trapping element is directly attached to the upper portion of the vessel without a stem.
In preferred embodiments, the trapping element is comprised of an adsorptive material. The adsorptive material is porous with a pore size ranging from 1 to 10 microns in size. The adsorptive material adheres to the molecules of the condensate, whereas the absorptive material contains microscopic chambers into which the molecules of the condensate are captured and retained. The adsorptive material is preferred to the absorptive material because the adsorptive material retains its shape and dimensions whether dry or trapping condensation, whereas the absorptive materials is sponge-like and will likely deform when changing from a dry state to a soaked state. The adsorptive material is more durable and rigid than absorptive materials, therefore being more suited to withstanding washing and drying in a dishwasher. Also, the adsorptive material can be easily formed into solids of different shapes such as the aforementioned ring or disc. The adsorptive material can be a ceramic. A particular ceramic providing the desired adsorptive properties is porous aluminum oxide, alumina, or activated alumina. In some embodiments, the adsorptive material can also comprise one or more of alumina silica, ceramic foam, carbon compounds, zeolites, or other microporous or irreversible adsorbents in different combinations with each other or various ceramics.
In some embodiments, the trapping element is comprised of an absorptive material. Silica gel, absorbent polymers, natural or synthetic sponges, and diatomaceous earth, are examples of absorptive materials for the trapping element of some embodiments. In some embodiments, the trapping element is comprised of a combination of the above enumerated adsorptive and absorptive materials and materials with similar properties, such as cordierite and mullite.
The particulates or granules for the adsorptive or absorptive materials can be baked to produce the trapping element in a solid form such as a ring or torus as described above. The particulates or granules can also be contained in a separate permeable structure that the condensate can penetrate. As described in detail below, the granules or particulates can also coat the outer surface of the liquid containing vessel of some embodiments.
In
In some embodiments, the adhesive is an epoxy that is optically clear, ultra violet stable, and able to withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius. Several such glass glues are available and can be used. In some embodiments, the adhesive also has insulating properties. The insulating properties prevent thermal transfer from the upper portion to the base through the stem connecting the two structures. The insulating properties prevents the upper portion from chilling the base, whereby chilling the base could lead to condensation forming about the outer surface of the base and below the trapping element. The insulation provided by the adhesive prevents even a small amount of thermal transfer to the base or chilling of the base. As noted above, a gasket can be used in addition to the stem or as a replacement for the stem to further assist in preventing the thermal transfer where the top and bottom portions of the vessels directly connect to one another.
In some embodiments, the height of the second ring or cylinder 520 is less than the height of the first ring or cylinder 510 so as to create a small channel about the outer surface of the liquid containing vessel. The channel redirects condensation dripping down the outer surface of the upper portion into the adsorptive or absorptive materials of the trapping element 530. Adhesive is placed on at least one of the lip of the first ring or cylinder 510 and lip of the second ring or cylinder 520 such that when the structures are brought together with the trapping element 530 in between, they become affixed as one structure.
In some embodiments, the second ring or cylinder 520 is modified to be a hollowed stem with upward extending retaining walls. In some such embodiments, the first ring or cylinder 510 passes through the central opening of the trapping element 530 and is inset within upward extending retaining walls 520 of the base with the central opening of the trapping element 530 passing over and around the retaining walls 520. In other words, the first ring or cylinder 510 of the upper portion becomes a stem that fits firmly within the retaining walls 520 of the base. Once again, a clear glass adhesive may be used to affix the structures together.
In accordance with some embodiments,
In accordance with some embodiments,
In some embodiments, the adsorptive or absorptive trapping element is turned into fine granules that are coated about the outer surface of the liquid containing vessel. In some such embodiments, a clear adhesive is spread across the outer surface of the drinking vessel and fine particulates of the adsorptive or absorptive material are uniformly applied. The particulates adhere to the outer surface and trap the condensation dripping from above upon contact.
In some such embodiments, the particulates can be adhered to not only provide the utility of trapping the condensation before it drips to the bottom of the liquid containing vessel, but also to provide a design aesthetic or custom logo.
Although the figures above illustrate the liquid containing vessel with integrated coaster as glassware, other embodiments provide the same utility and structures with liquid containing vessels made of plastic, metallic, ceramic, or materials. Similarly, the utility and structures can be carried over in manufacturing pitchers, carafes, decanters, thermoses, water bottles, and other liquid containing vessels.
In some embodiments, the trapping element is provided as a removable accessory that can be interchangeable used with different liquid containing vessels. In some such embodiments, the removable trapping element comprises a flexible and elastic outer casing. The outer casing is cylindrical or in the shape of a ring. However, the elasticity of the outer casing allows the removable trapping element to take many forms, and more importantly, the form of the vessel onto which the removable trapping element is placed. The outer casing contains particulates of one or more of the adsorptive or absorptive materials. The outer casing is permeable to permit condensate from entering into the trapping element, but still prevent the adsorptive or absorptive material from spilling out.
The removable trapping element can be different sizes to accommodate vessels with larger and smaller bases. The removable trapping element can also be used to replace the solid trapping element when coupled with the liquid containing vessels depicted above having a channel. In some such embodiments, the removable trapping element is stretched and placed into the channel. The removable trapping element can then be removed or changed as needed without ruining the aesthetic of the vessel as the trapping element expands over the base of the vessel and contracts to fit securely within the channel.
This application is a continuation of U.S. nonprovisional application Ser. No. 15/807,234 entitled “Liquid Containing Vessels with Integrated Coaster”, filed Nov. 8, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,368,673, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 62/418,972, entitled “Glassware and Plasticware Drinking Vessels with Integrated Coaster”, filed Nov. 8, 2016. The contents of application Ser. No. 15/807,234 and 62/418,972 are hereby incorporated by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190357714 A1 | Nov 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15807234 | Nov 2017 | US |
Child | 16531832 | US |