Abstract:
An insulated beverage holder for keeping beverages originally at temperatures above or below ambient at their original temperatures, while preventing discomfort to a user holding the beverage. In various embodiments, the insulted beverage holder comprises a plurality of insulating layers. An inner layer is designed to conform to a beverage holder. An outer layer is designed to provide a suitable gripping surface and to provide wear resistance and protection for a beverage container. In some instances intermediate layers can be present to improve the insulating qualities of the beverage holder.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to co-pending U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled, “Tire Shaped Beverage Holder,” filed on even date herewith. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to insulated containers in general and particularly to a beverage holder that employs a plurality of insulated layers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Many beverage holders have been employed to retain a heated or cooled beverage at a desired temperature different from room temperature, and to protect the hand of a person from discomfort or thermal injury sustained by holding a vessel containing the heated or cooled beverage. However, many such beverage holders are lacking in that they do little or nothing to provide a comfortable grip or to protect the beverage container itself.  
         [0004]     There is a need for a beverage holder that will maintain a beverage at a desired temperature different from room or ambient temperature while providing a comfortable surface for a user to hold and while protecting the beverage container.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In one aspect, the invention relates to an insulated beverage holder. The insulated beverage holder comprises a first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an axis of rotation, an external surface and an internal cavity defined therein, the internal cavity having an opening at a first end of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material, the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material configured to engage a surface of a beverage container; and a second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an axis of rotation, an internal surface in registry with the external surface of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material, the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an opening at a first end thereof, the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an external surface comprising a smooth slip-resistant surface comprising a low wear material. At least one of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material and the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material has a circular layer of insulating material aligned in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the axis of rotation of the substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material, the circular layer of insulating material closing off a second end of the substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material. When the beverage container contains a beverage at a temperature different from ambient temperature, the insulated beverage holder retards a flow of thermal energy between the beverage and an extremity of a person holding the insulated beverage holder.  
         [0006]     In one embodiment the insulated beverage holder further comprises at least a third substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material situated adjacent at least one of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material and the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material.  
         [0007]     In another aspect, the invention features an insulated beverage holder. The insulated beverage holder comprises a first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an axis of rotation, an external surface and an internal cavity defined therein, the internal cavity having an opening at a first end of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material, the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material configured to engage a surface of a beverage container; and a second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an axis of rotation, an internal surface in registry with the external surface of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material, the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an opening at a first end thereof, the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material having an external surface comprising a slip-resistant surface having interstices defined therein comprising a wear resistant material. At least one of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material and the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material has a circular layer of insulating material aligned in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the axis of rotation of the substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material, the circular layer of insulating material closing off a second end of the substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material. When the beverage container contains a beverage at a temperature different from ambient temperature, the insulated beverage holder retards a flow of thermal energy between the beverage and an extremity of a person holding the insulated beverage holder.  
         [0008]     In some embodiments, the interstices defined in the slip-resistant surface are periodic interstices.  
         [0009]     In some embodiments, the insulated beverage holder further comprises at least a third substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material situated adjacent at least one of the first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material and the second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material.  
         [0010]     The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and from the claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The objects and features of the invention can be better understood with reference to the drawings described below, and the claims. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various views.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a drawing showing a perspective view in cutaway of a first exemplary embodiment of the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a drawing showing a perspective view in cutaway of a second exemplary embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a drawing showing a perspective view in cutaway of a third exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     The invention, in one embodiment is an insulated beverage holder that comprises two layers of insulating material, each layer being substantially in the form of a right circular cylinder having a rotation axis and at least one open end. An inner layer of insulating material is configured to hold in close registry a beverage container, such as a soda can or a beer can, or a bottle of water or juice. The inner layer is typically a soft, pliable material having a cavity that can accommodate beverage containers of different sizes, in particular having different diameters. In some embodiments, the inner layer is a pliable foam material made from plastic or rubber. In the embodiments described, the beverage container is filled with a cold beverage, such as chilled water, cold soda or beer, cold juice, or iced coffee. In other embodiments, the container is filled with a hot liquid, such as hot coffee or tea. In general, the insulated beverage holder is useful with regard to its insulating properties when the beverage in the beverage container is at a temperature different from room or ambient temperature.  
         [0016]     The second layer of the insulated beverage holder is configured to hold the inner insulated layer in close registry, such that an inner surface of the outer layer is in registry with an outer surface of the inner layer. The outer layer comprises a material that is a thermal insulator, such as a plastic or rubber. The outer layer comprises a material that provides a selected one of a smooth slip-resistant surface comprising a low wear material and a slip-resistant surface having periodic interstices defined therein comprising a wear resistant material. For example, the smooth slip resistant surface comprising a low wear material is a smooth surface made from the type of soft rubber used in the manufacture of tires called “slicks” that are employed in drag racing. As an example, a slip-resistant surface having periodic interstices defined therein comprising a wear resistant material is a surface made out of the type of rubber used in treaded tire manufacture, such as in treaded racing tires, treaded off road motorcycle tires, and treaded all-terrain tires, which have a periodic pattern of grooves and/or a periodic array of protuberances. In the case of the smooth slip resistant surface, the material of construction comprises a material that provides a surface that can be described as “sticky” or having a high coefficient of friction per unit area. In contradistinction, the slip resistant surface having periodic interstices comprises a material that provides friction by virtue of the uneven nature of the surface. In this second example, friction is generated when the hand (or other extremity) of a user of the insulated beverage holder contacts the slip resistant surface and adapts to the irregular surface profile of the slip resistant surface. The inner and outer cylindrical layers cooperate to provide protection for a beverage container held in the insulated beverage holder, for example by cushioning the beverage container with the softer inner cylindrical layer, and by protecting the beverage container from being impacted by hard objects with the wear resistant or low wear outer layer.  
         [0017]     In some embodiments, at least one of the inner and outer layers of insulated material are closed at one end by a circular layer of insulating material aligned in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the axis of rotation of the inner or outer layer of insulating material. One end of each layer is left open so that the beverage container can be inserted and removed from the insulated beverage holder by translating the beverage container relative to the insulated beverage holder along a rotation axis of the insulated beverage holder. As an example, a user can slide a cold can of soda or beer into the insulated beverage holder, and can then open the can and drink the contents thereof.  
         [0018]      FIGS. 1-3  show three different embodiments of the invention. In  FIGS. 1-3  the inner cylindrical layer  10  is a layer of soft foam. The beverage container  20  is, for example, a can of soda having a conventional “pop top” or pull tab opening, but any conventional beverage container, such as a plastic bottle or glass bottle of water or juice having a screw cap, can be placed in the insulated beverage holder.  
         [0019]      FIGS. 1-3  differ in the composition and construction of the outer layer of insulation. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a drawing showing a perspective view in cutaway of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the insulated beverage holder in one embodiment comprises an outer insulating layer  30  that is substantially a right circular cylinder having an outer surface that exhibits a smooth, high coefficient of friction surface. Upon gripping the insulated beverage container depicted in  FIG. 1 , the user experiences a surface that is readily gripped and that is resistive to sipping, even though the surface comprises a substantially right circular cylinder. By comparison, a right circular cylinder glass vessel, such as a water glass, can be quite slippery especially when moistened by water condensing on an external surface thereof on a hot, humid day. Furthermore, the insulating property of the insulated beverage holder as shown in  FIG. 1  generally does not permit water to condense on the external surface thereof.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a drawing showing a perspective view in cutaway of a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 2 , the composition of the outer layer  40  can be the same as the composition of the outer layer  30  of  FIG. 1 . However, the outer surface of the outer layer  40  is made concave, but that is a surface that is circumscribable by a substantially right circular cylinder. The outer surface of the insulating layer  40  is a smooth surface, but the diameter of the layer  40  is gradually and smoothly diminished as one measures from a first end of the layer  40  to substantially the middle of the layer  40 , and then gradually and smoothly increases as one measures beyond the middle toward the second end of the layer  40 , returning to a diameter that is substantially equal to the diameter at the first end.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a drawing showing a perspective view in cutaway of a third exemplary embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , the outer layer  50  comprises a surface that is circumscribable by a substantially right circular cylinder in overall dimension, but that has an array of periodic interstices. The interstices can be formed by one or more of grooves  52 , indentations or dimples  54 , and protuberances  56 . In some embodiments, the grooves  52 , indentations or dimples  54 , and protuberances  56 , alone or in combination, are periodic. The outer surface of layer  50 , being irregular in diameter from place to place, provides a slip-resistant surface.  
         [0022]     In some embodiments, the insulated beverage holder comprises at least a third substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material situated adjacent at least one of said first substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material and said second substantially cylindrical layer of insulating material, for example to improve the insulating qualities of the beverage holder. In some instances, the third layer is situated in an intermediate position between the first and second layers. The third layer may, for example, provide an improved physical surface or chemical composition for bonding the exterior surface of the first cylindrical layer to one side thereof, and the interior surface of the second cylindrical layer to a second side thereof. Those of ordinary skill will recognize that more than three layers of insulating material can also be employed.  
         [0023]     While the present invention has been explained with reference to the structure disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth and this invention is intended to cover any modifications and changes as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims.