Abstract:
A drinking vessel monitor in the form of a lid with a protective disc of rigid material and a depending skirt. A key operated mechanical linkage is connected to contact members underlying the protective disc. Springs cause the contact members to pivot outwardly upon removal of the lid from a drinking vessel. Without the key to operate the mechanical linkage, the contact members hidden within the skirt cannot be retracted sufficiently to place the lid back on the drinking vessel. Optionally, an electrical circuit can be added with a signal generator which generates a visual or audible signal if tampering has occurred.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    There is described a drinking vessel monitor which enables a user to determine whether their drinking vessel has been tampered with during their absence. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Patrons who frequent public establishments, such as bars, lounges, or restaurants, will occasionally find themselves in a situation where they are required to leave their drinks unattended from time to time. This may be for reasons such as going to the washroom or moving to the dance floor. Regardless of the reason, an unattended drink is exposed to the possibility of being contaminated by someone introducing a deleterious substance to the drink such as a “date rape” drug. 
         [0003]    There are several products on the market that attempt to address this problem. They fall into two basic categories: One is in the form of a vessel having a lid designed to fit specifically onto it and lock into place. The second category involves the placement of a barrier which either adheres to, or snaps over the rim of the opening. U.S. Pat. No. 8,613,417 B2 discloses a combination coaster with detachable cover that sticks to the opening rim of a glass. U.S. Pat. No. 7,979,973 B2 discloses a frame with a thin film across it which can be lowered over the opening off container and sealing the opening. US Pub. US2013 0082067 A1 discloses an elastic rubber lid which is stretched over the rim of a drinking glass. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    There is provided a drinking vessel monitor which includes a lid comprised of a protective disc of rigid material with a depending skirt. The disc has an upper surface and a lower surface. The skirt has an interior surface and an exterior surface. Contact members are pivotally mounted to the lower surface of the disc. One or more springs bias the contact members outwardly into contact with the interior surface of the skirt. A mechanical linkage is connected to the contact members. The mechanical linkage permits the contact members to be retracted inwardly sufficient for the lid to be placed on a drinking vessel with an upper edge of the drinking vessel interposed between the contact members and the interior surface of the skirt. The mechanical linkage is operable with a key. The one or more biasing springs cause the contact members to pivot outwardly upon removal of the lid from the drinking vessel. Without the key which operates the mechanical linkage, the contact members hidden within the skirt cannot be retracted sufficient to place the lid back on the drinking vessel. 
         [0005]    In use, the lid portion of the device is placed over the opening of a drink vessel, such as a glass, that is to be protected. Turning the key clockwise causes the contact members the freedom to pivot outward by spring action towards the inside rim of the glass. The key is then removed leaving the outermost ends of the contact members arms resting against the inside rim of the drinking vessel opening. If the device is subsequently lifted the slightest amount, one or more of the arms will slip over the rim of the drinking vessel. Without the key, it is very difficult to reset the system by manipulating the arms back within the inside rim of the glass due to the depending skirt and the configuration of the contact members, therefore, when the patron returns to the drink, it will be obvious to him or her that the drink opening has been exposed and therefore, possibly contaminated. 
         [0006]    As will hereinafter be further described, the drinking vessel monitor described above can be equipped with an alarm system to provide further warning by adding contact points on the interior surface of the skirt which are part of an electrical circuit. The contact members can also be made part of the electrical circuit. When the contact members contact the contact points on the interior surface of the skirt, the electrical circuit is closed. A signal generator can be included as part of the electrical circuit to generate a visible, audible or other signal when the electrical circuit is closed. 
         [0007]    It is anticipated that the lid will be made from a rigid plastic or other suitable substance and with a diameter of sufficient size to cover and envelope the openings of a wide range of commonly used drinking vessels. The mechanical linkage that is operable with the key, will hereinafter be described in more detail. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the invention from above. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the invention from below. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a view of the invention as it would appear when in use covering the opening of a drinking glass. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view showing the components of the invention from above. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view showing the components of the invention from below. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows the contact member mechanism in a partially extended position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows all components of the electrical circuitry. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows the switch in the closed position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows the switch in the open position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a view from below showing the contact members in the extended position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a view from below showing the contact members in the retracted (stowed) position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    A drinking vessel monitor will now be described with reference to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 11 . 
       Structure and Relationship of Parts: 
       [0021]    It is contemplated that all components of the embodiment are to be constructed from rigid plastic or some other suitable material except for the components in the electrical circuitry which are constructed from suitable electrically conductive materials. 
         [0022]    With reference to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the embodiment from above revealing a rigid disk and descending perimeter skirt combination  1 . This combination disc and skirt is intended to envelope the opening of a drinking vessel. On the upper surface of the disc is a permanently attached upper cover  4 , which contains holes in it to allow LED lights  2  to protrude through. An electronic buzzer or alarm may be substituted for one of these lights. Also shown is a key  3  and a battery  5 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view from below showing electrically conductive contact members  7  in an extended position with their outermost tips contacting an electrically conductive perimeter strip  9 . When any one of these contact members make contact with this strip, an electrical circuit is closed and energizes warning lights and/ or aural alarms. Also shown is one of three curved slots  10  which are located around the centre of the upper disc and through which retaining posts  8  descend. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows the invention as it would appear in use covering the opening of a drink glass. The key  3  is removed after the device is armed. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded view from above. The key  3  is shown at the top. Below this is the top cover  4  containing holes  12  which allow the LED lights  2  to protrude through. Also shown is a collar  11  which is permanently attached to the top cover, and surrounds a male component  13  of a lock mechanism. The purpose of the collar is to make it difficult to access and manipulate the lock mechanism with anything other than the matching key. Below the top cover  4  is a body  14  (depicted in this embodiment as triangular in shape) on top of which is attached the male component  13  of the lock mechanism as well as the descending posts  8 . These posts protrude through arc shaped slots  10  in the main disc  1  and depending upon which direction the lock mechanism is rotated, these posts either stow or release the contact members  7  attached to the underside of the main covering disc and skirt  1 . Also shown are LED lights  2  which are attached to electrical circuitry on the main disc and skirt  1 . The circuitry observable in this view is comprised of a contact for the battery positive terminal  22 , Which leads through a switch to the positive side of a circuit  26 , a battery negative circuit  27  and a secondary battery positive circuit  28 . The latter being energized when a contact member  7  contacts the perimeter strip  9  on the inside of the skirt. At the bottom of the drawing is a lower cover  6  with spacers  15 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view from below. The key  3  at the top displays the female component  16  of the lock mechanism which in this embodiment is hexagonal in shape. The shape displayed in this depiction is for example only and it is intended that various shapes of different sizes be employed so as to ensure a wide range of key/lock combinations. Next, the underside of the top cover  4  is shown. Below that is the triangular body  14  with attached descending posts  8  and a lower spacer  17 . The main covering disc and skirt  1  are shown with the conductive perimeter strip  9 . There are upper spacers  18  attached to the lower surface of the main disc  1 , and these align with the lower spacers  15  to limit vertical displacement of the contact members. Actuator springs  19  have one end attached to anchor posts  20  affixed to the bottom surface of the main disc  1 . The other end of each spring is attached to the end of each of the contact members  7 . The anchor posts  20  also serve as attachment points to the lower cover  6 . Also shown are three electrically conductive pins  21  around which the contact members  7  rotate. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows the underside of the embodiment with the lower cover  6  removed. The configuration of the springs  19  and contact members  7  are displayed with the contact members in a midway position between stowed and fully extended. Also shown are the upper spacers  18 , the curved slots  10 , and an electrical connector  29  which connects the conductive perimeter strip  9  to the battery secondary positive circuit  28  which is on the top of the covering disc. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of the electrical circuitry. The positive side starts with the battery  5  and the circuit runs through a battery positive contact  22  to a switch shown in an open position  23  and a closed position  24 . The switch is actioned by using the key  3  to rotate the triangular body  14 , clockwise to its mechanical limit making contact with a post  25 . From there, the circuit continues around a loop of conductive material  26 . Attached to this loop, are conductive pins  21  and the contact members  7 . When one or more contact members  7  swing out and make contact with the conductive strip  9  the positive circuit continues around strip  9 , through the connector  29  and then to a secondary battery positive strip  28 . The negative circuitry is depicted as loop  27  starting at the battery negative terminal  30  and continuing around to terminate at the LED  2  negative post. All LEDs are connected in parallel between the positive and negative circuits. It is intended that an electronic buzzer/alarm could replace one of the LEDs. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  depicts the circuit in the closed position showing how the triangular body  14  actuates it. 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  depicts the circuit in the open position with the associated position of triangular body  14 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows the contact members  7  fully extended touching the conductive strip  9 . It also shows the position of the descending posts  8  at the furthest extent of their travel within the curved slots  10 . This is the “ARMED” position when the key is turned to the fully clockwise limit. 
         [0032]      FIG. 11  shows the underside of the device when the key is turned to the fully anti-clockwise position. The descending posts  8  are at the limit of their travel within the curved slots  10  and have forced the contact members to be stowed. This is the “OFF” position. 
         [0033]    The embodiment is intended to provide indication as to whether a drink has had its contents exposed to possible contamination by someone adding a deleterious substance to it. If a drink is to be left unattended, the device, in the “OFF” configuration, as shown in  FIG. 11 , is placed over the opening of the drinking vessel so as to cover and enclose it as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this configuration, the key  3  is at its anticlockwise (as viewed from above) mechanical stop position. This position is determined by the retaining posts  8  being at their maximum anticlockwise travel within the curved slots  10  through which they protrude. This is illustrated in  FIG. 11 , In this position, the contact members  7  are stowed within the perimeter of the bottom cover  6  by the retaining posts  8  which are connected to the key through the triangular body  14  with its attached male component of the lock mechanism  13 . Also, in the “OFF” position, the battery switch is in the open position  23  as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The key  3  is then turned clockwise to its mechanical stop “ARMED” position, as determined by the retaining posts  8  being at their maximum clockwise travel within the curved slots  10  as shown in  FIG. 10 . In this position, the contact members  7  are now free to swing outward. The upper spacers  18  which are attached to the lower surface of the main disc  1  cause the vertical position of the arms to be slightly below the lower surface of the main disc  1  which is resting on the rim of the drinking vessel opening. Because of this displacement, the contact members  7  will swing outward and come to rest against the inside of the rim of the drinking vessel. Also, in the “ARMED” position, the switch  24  is forced to the closed position by the triangular body  14  as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . This allows the current to flow from the battery, through the switch and to the battery positive loop  26  providing energy to the positive post of the first LED  2  in the circuit. The negative post of this LED is connected to the battery negative loop  27  so the LED illuminates thus serving as a battery test and a warning that the device is armed. With the battery positive loop now energized, the contact members  7  are also energized through their connection through the electrically conductive pivoting pins  21 . 
         [0034]    If the device is lifted even slightly while in the “ARMED” state, one or more of the contact members  7  will slip over the restraining lip of the drinking vessel, and will make contact with the electrically conductive strip  9 . When this happens, the electrical circuit is closed, connecting the battery positive loop via the contact members, around the inner perimeter strip  9 , through the connector  29 , to the secondary battery positive circuit  28 . The remaining LEDs are now illuminated, therefore, when the patron returns to the drink, it will be obvious that the drink opening has been exposed. 
         [0035]    The depending skirt and the configuration of the contact members make it very difficult to manipulate them back inside the rim of the drinking vessel to reset the system, and attempting to do so in a bar or restaurant type environment would almost certainly attract attention. Also, because the device is constructed of a rigid material, it would not be possible to contaminate the drink using a syringe to penetrate it, therefore, if the device is still armed when the patron returns to it, he or she can be reasonably confident that the drink has not been contaminated. 
         [0036]    The reader shall see from this description that the embodiment provides a more reliable method to ascertain whether an unattended drink has possibly been exposed to contamination. 
         [0037]    In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
         [0038]    The scope of the claims should not be limited by the illustrated embodiments set forth as examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with a purposive construction of the claims in view of the description as a whole.