Abstract:
A whistle for a water or drink bottle may be either combination whistle and drink bottle closure or a whistle with an annular body portion that fits over the neck of the bottle without interefering with the existing cap or closure. The whistle includes a stem that projects from an upper part of the cap portion. One or more internal windways extend around the neck of the bottle, and lead from the stem to one or more fipple holes to generate sound from air flow exiting the windway. Each fipple hole has its own respective chamber that determines pitch of the sound. A gap in one side of an annular body allows the whistle to snap fit onto the bottle neck.

Description:
[0001]     Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional patent application No. 60/535,777, filed Jan. 12, 2004, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention is directed to combined sounders and drink containers, and is in particular directed to a combination in which a whistle is built into the closure or cap of the container, the stem of the mouthpiece is separate from the drink nipple and does not project in height above a standard cap height nor in width beyond the bottle side walls. The whistle can be used without having to manipulate the bottle cap first in some way, or remove the cap. A split whistle produces dual or triple tones, for a better alarm sounding in emergencies. Ideally, the whistle should be unobtrusive, and should not interfere with carrying the bottle or drinking from it, and should be an attractive feature in respect to the design and appearance of the bottle and cap.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is an object to provide a whistle that either serves as a bottle cap for a water bottle or similar container, or else fits over or around the cap onto the neck of the container.  
         [0004]     It is another object to provide the person using the bottle with a means for signaling in case of danger or attack, or to alert to an emergency or unsafe situation.  
         [0005]     When the person brings a water bottle with the whistle cap on a hike, bike, ride, jog, or even to work, a whistle will always be there for emergencies.  
         [0006]     In combination, the device comprises a bottle cap and a whistle that is formed in the cap around the drinking nipple or stem, and does not interfere with its function. In one preferred embodiment, a two-chamber whistle is formed in the closure or cap, with a stem or mouthpiece that is available for blowing in emergencies. More than two chambers are possible. The stem does not need to be manipulated or swung open for use. Preferably, there is a split windway to conduct the air around the central axis of the cap into two or more different whistle chambers. Alternatively, the device may comprise a whistle device that fits around the cap or past the cap onto the neck of the container, and which permits the person to drink without removing the whistle (either allowing the cap to be removed or giving access to the drink nipple on the cap).  
         [0007]     According to one possible aspect of the invention, a whistle is combined into a cap for a beverage container or bottle. The cap and whistle can integrated as one unit. When a person takes the water bottle or beverage bottle hiking, jogging, or cycling, the whistle is there for use in emergencies or in signaling. The whistle can be blown without removing it from the bottle or opening the bottle. Where the bottle cap is a sports cap, with a retractable nipple, the whistle does not interfere with the nipple, and there is a space at the center of the cap for the retractable nipple. The difference in height from a standard cap is kept to a minimum, and the cap does not extend in width beyond the side walls of the bottle. The whistle favorably has plural pitches or tones, with the air flow being split and going to two or more whistles formed in the cap. The stem of the whistle, i.e., mouthpiece, is angled up from the top of the bottle cap, to facilitate access and ease of blowing.  
         [0008]     According to another aspect, the whistle may be formed as a separate, detachable whistle element, and can be formed with a hollow annular body that fits over or around the cap or closure of a drink container. The annular body snap fits onto the neck of a standard container. The stem extends at an upward slant, but does not extend above the top of the drink nipple of the cap. Similarly, a resonant chamber formed in a finger member on the other, distal side of the annular body can extend downward along the tapered part of the bottle below the bottle neck, and does not extend beyond the radius of the body of the bottle. The annular portion need not form a complete closed ring, but may be of horseshoe or omega shape, and may snap onto the bottle neck from the side.  
         [0009]     The above and many other objects, features, and advantages of this invention can be understood from the ensuing description of illustrative preferred embodiments, when considered in connection with the attached figures of Drawing. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a whistle cap of this invention in elevation, in combination with an associated drink bottle.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the cap.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cut away view, taken at  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 , showing the air pathway for the whistle.  
         [0013]      FIGS. 4, 5 , and  6  are lateral, proximal, and distal views of the whistle according to another preferred embodiment, here shown in place upon a standard drinking water container.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view thereof.  
         [0015]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are a side elevation and top plan of a variant of this embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     The arrangement according to one possible preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIGS.  1  to  3 , showing its features and advantages.  
         [0017]     In this embodiment, the cap of the bottle and the whistle are one unit, although in manufacture these may be made in two pieces that are joined during manufacture. The exact manufacture techniques can vary depending upon the plastic used and because of differences in forming internal voids and passageways.  
         [0018]     The whistle can be blown without removing it from the bottle or opening the bottle. The whistle cap in no way impairs the function of the bottle. In the case of bottles with sports caps, i.e., those caps that have a central, retractable nipple-like protuberance, the whistle cap is designed to leave a space in the center of the cap for the retractable nipple.  
         [0019]     There may be many different types of bottles, to all of which the integrated whistle cap may be applied, with the various whistle caps all working on the same principle.  
         [0020]     The difference in height between a normal, conventional cap and a whistle cap is kept to a minimum. This is accomplished here by employing two or more whistle pipes with different tones mounted side by side. Here the two whistle pipes bend around the central drinking tube, i.e., nipple. These two whistle pipes are not parallel, but are angled with the pipes coming together at the side away from the stem so as to promote the forward propagation of the sound.  
         [0021]     The width of the whistle cap is such that it does not extend beyond the sidewalls of the associated bottle. This is an important concern for bicyclists where the bicycle bottle has to fit into a rack on the bike frame. It is also important for camping bottles, which need to avoid becoming entangled if placed into a backpack or fanny pack.  
         [0022]     The stem of the whistle is angled up from the bottle cap, which facilitates both access and ease of blowing.  
         [0023]     It greater sound volume is desired, the pipes may be stacked one above the other.  
         [0024]     As illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, there is a cap or closure  10  provided for a drink container or bottle  12 . The closure  10  here screws onto a threaded mouth of the bottle  12 . In this case, the closure  10  has a central retractable nipple  14  permitting the user to drink without removing the cap. The cap has a dual whistle incorporated into it, with a stem  16  that the user blows into. The stem  16  is at a fixed angle upwards, for a more natural blowing position. In some embodiments, the stem  16  can be pivoted so it can be raised or lowered. There is a split structure inside the cap, as shown in  FIG. 3 , and there are separate openings or fipples  18  on left and right sides and opposite the stem  16 . The air flow is in the direction into the stem  16 , and then splitting to proceed through left and right windways  20 ,  20  that curve around a core where the drinking stem  14  is located. The windways exit at the fipple holes  18 , where the air strikes a lip  22 , after which the sound resonates in the respective chambers  24 ,  24 . Favorably, there may be more than two parts to the whistle, to generate three or more tones.  
         [0025]     In other embodiments, the drinking nipple may be omitted, and in that case the cap or closure would be removed for drinking. In other designs, the top of the drinking nipple may be twisted or rotated to open or close it.  
         [0026]     A number of synthetic plastic resins are available which can be easily molded to form the drinking cap—whistle combination, and which will facilitate production of an acceptable whistle sound.  
         [0027]     Another whistle arrangement embodying this invention is shown in  FIGS. 4, 5 ,  6 , and  7 . In this case the whistle  30  is formed of an annular body  32 , i.e., a hollow ring, with a stem  34  situated on a distal side, i.e., facing towards the user, and a resonant chamber portion  36  situated on a distal side of the annular body  32 , i.e., away from the user. The air passes out through one or more fipple holes  37  located on the far or distal side of the whistle  30 . In this embodiment, the stem  34  extends upward and outward at a slant angle, i.e., proximally, to create a natural angle for the user. In this case, the body  32 , stem  34  and chamber portion  36  are molded together as a unit of a semi-rigid, but yieldable plastic resin. An annular air passage  38  is provided within the annular body  32 . The annular portion has a central open circular vertical passage  39  formed in it and which is dimensioned to fit over a cap  40  of an associated drink bottle  42 , so as to snap-fit in place onto the neck  44  of the bottle. The stem  34  extends outward to a distance that is within the radial outward dimension of the body  46  of the bottle, and extends upward a distance not beyond the height of the cap  40 , i.e., not vertically above the drink nipple  48  on the cap. Here, only the upper portion of the bottle  42  is shown. The bottle  42  may be a standard blow-molded plastic drink bottle, i.e., PET or equivalent. Preferably, when the user has consumed the water from the bottle and wants to discard the plastic bottle, the whistle  30  can be slipped off, and can be easily pushed onto another water bottle of the same dimension.  
         [0028]     It is also envisioned that the whistle of this type may be easily installed by the bottler at the time of filling and packaging, without requiring elaborate or unusual equipment, and that the bottle, fitted with the whistle  30 , will be within the dimensions of any typical packaging system for cartons or cases of the bottled water.  
         [0029]     In this example, the bottle  42  has a slanted or tapered shoulder  50  below the neck  44 . Here, the chamber portion  36  is in the form of a finger or lobe that extends outward, i.e., distally, to a distance that is within the dimension of body  46  of the bottle, and angles downward so as to sit upon the tapered shoulder  50 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a resonant chamber  52  is formed within the finger or lobe, i.e., chamber portion  36 . There may be individual chambers  52  for each of the fipple holes, so that there will be multiple tones generated.  
         [0030]     The whistle  30  of this embodiment is formed and dimensioned to fit onto the neck  44  of the drinking bottle. However, in other embodiments, the whistle may seat directly onto the cap or closure. There may be only one fipple hole, a pair of fipple holes, three (as shown), or more than three.  
         [0031]     Also, the annular portion  32  need not be a closed ring shape, as in this embodiment, but may be horseshoe shaped or omega shaped, for example, without departing from the invention.  
         [0032]     A variation of the whistle which fits onto the bottle from the side, is illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . There the elements of the whistle that are also illustrated in FIGS.  4  to  7  are identified with the same reference numbers, but raised by 100.  
         [0033]     The whistle  130  of this embodiment is designed to be pushed onto the neck of the bottle  42  and fits above the shoulder  50  and a neck flange  144 . Here, the whistle  130  has a body  132  that is generally annular, but with a gap  133  at one side. The gap  133  is slightly narrower than the diameter of the bottle neck, so as to produce a secure, snug fit. The plastic material of the neck will deflect slightly to allow the whistle body  132  to fit over it. That is, the bottle  42  will deform slightly when the whistle is installed, that is, when it is pushed from the side onto the bottle in the direction shown in the arrows in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0034]     As in the previous embodiment, the whistle has a stem or mouthpiece  134 , which angles upward from a proximal side, and a finger portion  136  disposed at the distal side. There is a windway formed within the body portion, and air blown in through the stem  134  passes through the windway in the body portion  132  and exits through the fipple holes  137  at the distal side. These fipple holes are connected with resonant chamber or chambers  152  formed within the finger portion  136 , which are dimensioned to produce the tones of the desired pitches.  
         [0035]     The user can easily pull the whistle  130  off one bottle when empty and quickly install it onto another bottle. Also, the bottler or packager of the bottled water or other beverage can easily install these on the product as an added feature for the purchaser. A molded leaf spring can be formed into the inside curved side of the body  132  to facilitate the snap fitting onto the bottle neck. The molded leaf spring allows the whistle to be used with different widths of bottle necks, and also helps to hold the whistle firmly in place. A metal leaf spring could be used, if desired.  
         [0036]     While the invention has been described in reference to specific preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments. Many modifications and variations would present themselves to persons skilled in the relevant arts without departure from the scope and spirit of this invention.