Beverage container

A beverage container is disclosed. The beverage container includes a container body for containing carbonated beverage. A pumping lid assembly for selectively opening and closing the container body is inserted into the opening of the container body. The pumping lid assembly includes an extension cylinder engaged at its lower portion with the upper end portion of the container body. A pump housing is rotatably mounted in the interior of the upper portion of the extension cylinder. A plunger assembly is fitted into the central portion of the pump housing, and designed to pressurize air in the interior of the container body while being moved downward, to suck exterior air from the outside while being moved upward, and to rotate together with the pump housing and align the first and second beverage outlets so as to enable the discharge of carbonated beverage from the container body when being rotated. A beverage guide member is fixed to the interior of the extension cylinder, extended to the interior of the container body, and provided at its sidewall with an air outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates, in general, to beverage containers and, more
 particularly, to a beverage container that prevents carbon dioxide from
 coming out of the carbonated beverage in the beverage container into the
 vacant space of the beverage container.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 As depicted in FIG. 23, a conventional beverage container for accommodating
 carbonated beverage comprises a container body 1 filled with the
 carbonated beverage and covered with a lid 2 at its top.
 After a user pours the carbonated beverage from the container body 1
 following the removal of the lid 2 from the container body 1, the user
 stops up the container body 1 with lid 2 so as to prevent the carbon
 dioxide dissolved in the carbonated beverage from coming out of the
 container body 1 into the atmosphere, in the case that some quantity of
 the carbonated beverage remains in the container body 1.
 However, in the conventional beverage container, since the carbon dioxide
 comes out of the carbonated beverage in the container body 1 into the
 vacant space of the container body 1, the carbon dioxide having come into
 the vacant space is discharged out of the container body 1 into the
 atmosphere when the user pours the carbonated beverage out of the
 container body 1 again, thereby causing the deterioration of the flavor of
 the carbonated beverage.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above
 problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present
 invention is to provide a beverage container, which is capable of
 preventing carbon dioxide dissolved in the carbonated beverage of the
 beverage container from coming out of the beverage into the vacant space
 of the beverage container by pressurizing the interior of the beverage
 container, thereby allowing sufficient carbon dioxide to be retained in
 the beverage and accordingly maintaining the flavor of the carbonated
 beverage for a long time.
 In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a
 beverage container, comprising: a container body for containing carbonated
 beverage; and a pumping lid assembly for selectively opening and closing
 the container body, which is inserted into the opening of the container
 body, the pumping lid assembly including an extension cylinder engaged at
 its lower portion with the upper end portion of the container body and
 provided at its sidewall with a first beverage outlet for discharging
 carbonated beverage contained in the container body, a pump housing
 rotatably mounted in the interior of the upper portion of the extension
 cylinder and provided at its sidewall with a second beverage outlet, a
 plunger assembly fitted into the central portion of the pump housing, the
 plunger assembly being designed to pressurize air in the interior of the
 container body while being moved downward, to suck exterior air from the
 outside while being moved upward, and to rotate together with the pump
 housing and align the first and second beverage outlets so as to enable
 the discharge of carbonated beverage from the container body when being
 rotated, and a beverage guide member fixed to the interior of the
 extension cylinder, extended to the interior of the container body and
 provided at its sidewall with an air outlet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 Reference now should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference
 numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same
 or similar components.
 FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section showing a beverage container in a state
 where the beverage container cannot discharge beverage out of the beverage
 container. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section showing the beverage
 container in a state where the beverage container can discharge beverage
 out of the beverage container.
 A beverage container of the present invention comprises a container body
 100 for containing carbonated beverage D and a pumping lid assembly 200
 for pressuring the interior of the container body 100, supplying exterior
 air into the interior of the container body 100, and selectively opening
 and closing the mouth of the container body 100. The pumping lid assembly
 200 is mounted over the opening 110 of the container body 100.
 The pumping lid assembly 200 includes an extension cylinder 210 engaged at
 its lower portion with the upper end portion of the container body 100 and
 provided at its sidewall with a first beverage outlet 212b for discharging
 carbonated beverage contained in the container body 100 in the outside. A
 pump housing 220 is rotatably mounted in the interior of the upper portion
 of the extension cylinder 210 and provided at its sidewall with a second
 beverage outlet 222a. A plunger assembly 230 is fitted into the central
 portion of the pump housing 220. The plunger assembly 230 is designed to
 pressurize air in the interior of the container body 100 while being moved
 downward, to suck exterior air from the outside while being moved upward,
 and to rotate together with the pump housing 220 and align the first and
 second beverage outlets 212b and 222a so as to discharge carbonated
 beverage out of the container body 100 when being rotated appropriately. A
 beverage guide member 240 is fixed to the interior of the extension
 cylinder 210, extended to the interior of the container body 100 and
 provided at its sidewall with a plurality of second air outlets (will be
 described).
 The plunger assembly 230 includes a plunger body 231 fitted into the
 central portion of the pump housing 220 to be reciprocated upward and
 downward and to be rotated together with the pump housing 220. A plunger
 head 232 is fitted around the lower end of the plunger body 231 and is
 formed of elastic material. The plunger head 232 is designed to pressurize
 the interior of the container body 100 while being moved downward and to
 suck exterior air from the outside while being moved upward.
 Additionally, an extension tube 250 is fixedly fitted at its upper end into
 the lower end of the beverage guide member 240 to be positioned near the
 bottom of the container body 100.
 A locking ring 260 is fitted on the upper end of the extension cylinder 210
 so as to prevent the pump housing 220 mounted in the interior of the upper
 portion of the extension cylinder 210 from being removed from the
 extension cylinder 210.
 A spout tube 270 of a predetermined length is fitted into the first
 beverage outlet 212b of the extension cylinder 210 so that the beverage
 contained in the containing body 100 is capable of being discharged to a
 user's mouth or being poured into a vessel.
 A plurality of leakage preventing members 280 are disposed around the outer
 surface of the pump housing 220 while being spaced apart from each other,
 so as to prevent the beverage being discharged through the first and
 second beverage outlets 212b and 222a from leaking between the inner
 surface of the extension cylinder 210 and the outer surface of the pump
 housing 220.
 In such a case, the leakage preventing members preferably are O-rings.
 In addition, a leakage preventing member 290, such as an O-ring, is
 disposed on the upper end of the containing body 100 so as to prevent
 beverage from leaking between the inner surface of the extension cylinder
 210 and the outer surface of the container body 100.
 Hereinafter, the construction of the beverage container according to the
 present invention is described in more detail.
 As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the extension cylinder 210 has an engaging
 portion 211 provided with an internally threaded sub-portion 211a for
 engaging with the upper end portion of the container body 100. A pump
 support portion 212 is extended from the engaging portion 211, and is
 provided with a support projection 212a for supporting the lower end of
 the pump housing 220 and the first beverage outlet 212b for discharging
 beverage contained in the container body 100 to the outside.
 An engaging groove 212c for engaging with the locking ring 260 is formed on
 the upper portion of the outer surface of the extension cylinder 210.
 In order to facilitate the assembly of the beverage container, the outer
 surface of the engaging portion 211 of the extension cylinder 210 is
 preferably knurled.
 As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 to 8, the pump housing 220 has a
 cylindrical portion 221 for accommodating the plunger head 232 to move
 upward and downward. The pump housing 220 is further provided with an air
 valve 233 at its bottom. A support skirt portion 222 is formed around the
 cylindrical portion 221 and supported by the support projection 212a of
 the pump support portion 212 of the extension cylinder 210.
 The cylindrical portion 221 of the pump housing 220 is opened at its top
 and closed at its bottom. An engaging hole 221a for engaging with the air
 valve 233 is formed on the center of the bottom of the cylindrical portion
 221, and a plurality of first air discharge holes 221b for discharging air
 are formed around the engagement hole 221a on the bottom of the
 cylindrical portion 221.
 The support skirt portion 222 of the pump housing 220 is provided with the
 second beverage outlet 222a to communicate with the first beverage outlet
 212b of the extension cylinder 210. A plurality of circular grooves 222b
 are formed on the outer surface of the support skirt portion 222 while
 being vertically spaced apart from each other, and serve to accommodate
 the leakage preventing members 280. A plurality of radial grooves 222c are
 formed on the upper surface of the support skirt portion 222 so as to
 rotate the pump housing 220 together with the plunger assembly 230.
 As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 9 to 12, the plunger body 231 has a grip 231b
 provided at the lower surface of the grip 231b with a plurality of radial
 projections 231a that are spaced apart from one another and engaged with
 the radial grooves 222c of the pump housing 220. A plunger rod portion
 231c is vertically extended from the grip 231b. A top-shaped pumping
 portion 231d is formed on the lower end of the plunger rod portion 231c.
 A circular groove 231e is formed on the upper surface of the pumping
 portion 231d, and a plurality of vertical slits 231f are formed on the
 side surface of the pumping portion 231d to communicate with the circular
 groove 231e.
 The plunger rod portion 231c preferably has a cross-shaped sectional
 figure. This is because the cross-shaped sectional figure facilitates the
 injection molding of the plunger rod portion 231c and prevents the plunger
 rod portion 231c from being contracted during the injection molding of the
 plunger rod portion 231c.
 As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 13 to 15, the beverage guide member 240 has a
 fixed portion that is fitted into the support skirt portion 222 of the
 pump housing 220 and the support projection 212a of the extension cylinder
 210. A cylinder portion 242 is parallel extended toward the interior of
 the container body 100, fitted in the pump support portion 212 of the
 extension cylinder 210, and is provided with a plurality of second air
 discharge holes 24a. A funnel portion 243 is diminished downward and
 accommodates the upper end of the extension tube 250.
 As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 16 to 18, the plunger head 232 has a cylindrical
 portion 232a that is tightly accommodated in the cylindrical portion 221
 of the pump housing 220 to be moved together with the plunger body 231. A
 bottom portion 232b is extended from the lower end of the cylindrical
 portion 232a to have a tapered surface W conforming to the bottom surface
 of the plunger body 231, and has a through hole 232c at the apex of the
 bottom portion 232b. A top portion (reference numeral not assigned) is
 formed on the upper end of the cylindrical portion 221 and provided with
 an air passage 232d.
 The air passage 232c is constructed by forming a plurality of regularly
 spaced slits around a center hole.
 The air valve, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 19, has an arrowhead portion 232a
 that is inserted into the engaging hole 221a. A circular valve body 233b
 is formed on the lower end of the arrowhead portion 232a to cover the
 lower ends of the first air discharge holes 221b.
 As depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 20 to 22, the locking ring 260 has a bent
 upper portion and a center hole 261 so as to prevent the cylindrical
 portion 221 of the pump housing 220 from being removed from the extension
 cylinder 210. The locking ring 260 is further provided with a projection
 ring 262 that is inserted into the engaging groove 212c of the extension
 cylinder 210.
 Hereinafter, the operation of the beverage container according to the
 present invention is described.
 In a state where the beverage container is assembled as shown in FIG. 1,
 when the plunger assembly 230 of the pumping lid assembly 200 is
 manipulated, the flavor of the carbonated beverage can be maintained for a
 long time because the pressure in the container body 100 is increased and
 the carbon dioxide dissolved in the carbonated beverage in the container
 body 100 is prevented from coming out of the carbonated beverage into the
 vacant space of the container body 100.
 In more detail, when the plunger assembly 230 is pushed downward, air is
 pressed through the first air discharge holes 221b of the pump housing 220
 and the air valve 233 into the interior of the container body 100 because
 the plunger body 231 is moved downward while the pumping portion 231d of
 the plunger body 231 stops up the through hole 232c of the plunger head
 232.
 Thereafter, when the plunger assembly 230 is pulled upward, the plunger
 body 231 is moved upward while the pumping portion 231d of the plunger
 body 231 is removed from the through hole 232c of the plunger head 232. At
 this time, since the first air discharge holes 221b of the pump housing
 220 are closed by the air valve 233, the exterior air enters through the
 space between the lower surface of the grip 231b and the upper surface of
 the pump housing 220 and enters the interior of the cylindrical portion
 221 through the plunger rod portion 231c, the air passage 232d, the
 circular groove 231e, the vertical slits 231f and the through hole 232c.
 In the meantime, when the plunger assembly 230 is rotated from a state
 shown in FIG. 1, the first and second beverage outlets 212b and 222a may
 be aligned as shown in FIG. 2 because the plunger assembly 230 is rotated
 together with the pump housing 220, with the radial projections 231a of
 the plunger assembly 230 engaged with the radial grooves 222c of the pump
 housing 220. Accordingly, the beverage D contained in the container body
 100 is raised through the extension tube 250 and the beverage guide member
 240 and is discharged through the second beverage outlet 222a, the first
 beverage outlet 212b and the spout tube 270.
 In this state, when the plunger assembly 230 is repeatedly moved upward and
 downward, the carbonated beverage D is continuously discharged out of the
 beverage container.
 Thereafter, when the plunger assembly 230 is rotated from a state shown in
 FIG. 2, the alignment of the first and second beverage outlets 212b and
 222a are cancelled as shown in FIG. 1 because the plunger assembly 230 is
 rotated together with the pump housing 220, with the radial projections
 231a of the plunger assembly 230 engaged with the radial grooves 222c of
 the pump housing 220.
 In this state, when the plunger assembly 230 is repeatedly moved upward and
 downward, the pressure in the container body 100 is increased and the
 carbon dioxide dissolved in the carbonated beverage in the container body
 100 is prevented from coming out of the carbonated beverage into the
 vacant space of the container body 100, thereby maintaining the flavor of
 the carbonated beverage for a long time.
 As described above, the present invention provides a beverage container,
 which is capable of preventing carbon dioxide dissolved in the carbonated
 beverage of the beverage container from coming out of the beverage into
 the vacant space of the beverage container by pressurizing the interior of
 the beverage container by means of the action of its pumping construction,
 thereby allowing sufficient carbon dioxide to be retained in the beverage
 and accordingly maintaining the flavor of the carbonated beverage for a
 long time.
 Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
 disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will
 appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are
 possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as
 disclosed in the accompanying claims.