Abstract:
A solution that makes it easier to drink from a cup by contouring the brim to interface with the drinker&#39;s mouth. Drinking vessels are improved by depressing the brim to channel the drink to the drinker&#39;s mouth.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application for Patent No. 62/048,900 entitled Mouth Contoured Drinking Vessel, filed on Sep. 11, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    The invention relates to drinking vessels and a method of drinking 
         [0007]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0008]    Drinking vessels have existed for thousands of years and come in various shapes and forms. Most vessels have a uniform upper edge or brim that is smooth and uniform in shape. Generally, a drinker tilts the vessel to her mouth or uses a straw to drink. However, straws are not always appropriate and can cause slurping noises. Uniform brims are susceptible to spillage during drinking Also, uninform brims do not inform the drinker of where is proper or best to the drink from the vessel. 
         [0009]    The prior art provides for pitchers, gravy boards, and measuring cups which help reduce spillage during pouring operations, but the prior art is not intended, designed, or optimized for drinking 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention overcomes problems with the prior art by making it easier for a drinker to drink, sip and pour from a vessel. It also solves the problem of a drinker not knowing from which part of the brim to drink. 
         [0011]    The invention overcomes the problems with the prior art by depressing the brim in one more sections to form a valley or channel in which the drinker can pour the drink into the drinker&#39;s mouth. The valley or channel is optimally contoured to interface with the mouth of the drinker. 
         [0012]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in example drinking vessels the invention is not limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing from the invention and the equivalents of the claims. However, the construction and method of operation of the invention together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a left handed coffee cup with the novel brim for drinking. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a top down view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a bottom up view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a handle side view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a handle-less side view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is perspective view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is alternate perspective view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in  FIGS. 1-7 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a front view of a tumbler with the novel brim for drinking. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a rear view of the tumbler drawn in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a top down view of the tumbler drawn in  FIGS. 9-10 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a bottom up view of the tumbler drawn in  FIGS. 9-11 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is a side view of the tumbler drawn in  FIGS. 9-12 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  is an alternative side view of the tumbler drawn in  FIGS. 9-13 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the tumbler drawn in  FIGS. 9-14   
           [0028]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the tumbler drawn in  FIGS. 9-15 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  is a front view of a martini glass with the novel brim for drinking. 
           [0030]      FIG. 18  a rear view of the martini glass drawn in  FIG. 17 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 19  is a top down view of the martini glass drawn in  FIGS. 17-18 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 20  is a bottom up view of the martini glass drawn in  FIGS. 17-19 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 21  is a side view of the martini glass drawn in  FIGS. 17-20 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 22  is alternate side view of the martini glass drawn in  FIGS. 17-20 . 
           [0035]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of the martini glass drawn in  FIGS. 17-22 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 24  is an alternative perspective view of the martini glass drawn in  FIGS. 17-23 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0037]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a left handed coffee cup  100  incorporating the novel drinking brim  102  on its upper edge. The novel drinking brim  102  is contoured to fit with a drinker&#39;s mouth and channel the contents of the coffee cup  100 , or the drink, into the drinker&#39;s mouth, minimizing spillage and aiding the drinker to drink from the coffee cup  100 .  FIGS. 2-8  illustrate multiple views of the same mug with novel drinking brim  102 . The coffee cup  100  and its novel drinking brim  102  are depicted at various angles in  FIGS. 1-8 . However, the novel drinking brim  102  is not visible from the back of the coffee cup  100  as shown in the rear perspective of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0038]    Novel drinking brim  102  is positioned at the top edge of the open portion of coffee cup  100 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The valley or channel of novel drinking brim  102  is optimally contoured to interface with the mouth of the drinker. This is the edge where a drinker&#39;s mouth touches coffee cup  100  to drink the contents of coffee cup  100 . For a vessel with a handle  104 , such as coffee cup  100 , novel drinking brim  102  is strategically at a position on the top edge of coffee cup  100  relative to the handle  104  position. 
         [0039]    Alternatively, exemplary embodiments of the instant invention implemented as a coffee cup include right handed embodiments where the handle is on the right side approximately ninety degrees counter-clockwise from the novel drinking brim  102 . Additional embodiments of the instant invention include the novel drinking brim  102  on both the left and right hand sides of the coffee cup  100 , not depicted, with two handles to accommodate both left and right handed drinkers. 
         [0040]    The instant invention relating to a drinking vessel includes different handle  104  orientations compared to pouring vessels. Examples of pouring vessels include: pitchers, gravy boats, and measuring cups. Unlike the instant invention, vessels designed for pouring generally orient the pouring handle approximately 180 degrees (opposite) from the pouring spout. Moreover, the shape of the pouring vessel spout is designed for pouring, not drinking The shape of a pouring vessel spout is related to flow of the vessel contents into an open container, such as a mixing bowl. The instant invention novel drinking brim  102  is designed to contour a drinker&#39;s mouth to provide a smooth transition from the drinking vessel, or coffee cup  100 , into the drinker&#39;s mouth. In this context, a drinker&#39;s mouth includes a drinker&#39;s lips, tongue, oral mucosa, and all other parts a drinker&#39;s face that comes in contact with the novel drinking brim  102 . A drinker, in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, is a human being. However, a drinker is any mammal capable of using a drinking vessel to consume contents through the drinker&#39;s mouth. 
         [0041]    To accommodate a drinker&#39;s mouth, the novel drinking brim  102  protrudes outward from the outer circumferential plane of coffee cup  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 , and  8 . The top surface of novel drinking brim  102  is contoured downward, best illustrated in  FIGS. 5-8 . 
         [0042]    Although described as a coffee cup, the drinking vessel of the instant invention includes any type of cup or vessel that has contents consumable by a drinker. Examples include, but are not limited to: mugs, wine glasses, tumblers, collins glasses, martini glasses, pilsner glasses, and highball glasses. A handle is included in example embodiments of the instant invention. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-8 , the preferred embodiment of novel drinking brim  102  is contoured to a drinker&#39;s mouth and slightly depressed. When used properly, the novel drinking brim  102  forms a channel to the drinker&#39;s mouth to optimally flow the contents of coffee cup  100  into the drinker&#39;s mouth. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 9-16  illustrate an example embodiment of the instant invention using a tumbler drinking vessel. In this embodiment, tumbler  200  does not include a handle for the drinker to use when consuming the contents of tumbler  200 . Instead, the outer surface of tumbler  200  has a continuous cylindrical shape. 
         [0045]    Novel drinking brim  102  is contoured to a drinker&#39;s mouth and channels the contents of the tumbler  200 , or the drink, into the drinker&#39;s mouth. The contoured shaped of novel drinking brim  102 , that protrudes from tumbler  200  and is slightly depressed, optimizes the flow of the contents of tumbler  200  into the drinker&#39;s mouth. Novel drinking brim  102  minimizes spillage and assists the drinker in drinking the contents of the tumbler  200 . 
         [0046]    Tumbler  200  does not include a handle, as compared to coffee cup  100 . As shown in  FIGS. 9-16 , novel drinking brim  102  is positioned on the top edge of tumbler  200 . Since a drinker can pick up, or grasp, tumbler  200 , in many different circumferential positions, the position of novel drinking brim  102  along the top edge of tumbler  200  is not critical. 
         [0047]    The shape of novel drinking brim  102  is contoured to the mouth of a drinker. As illustrated in  FIGS. 9-16 , novel drinking brim  102  extends radially outward from the top edge of tumbler  200 . The top portion of novel drinking brim  102  is depressed relative to the top edge of tumbler  200 . At the outermost portion of novel drinking brim  102 , the bottom contour of novel drinking brim  102  restricts back to the body of tumbler  200 . Overall, the shape of novel drinking brim  102  has multiple contours to provide the best fit between the novel drinking brim  102  and the mouth of the drinker. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 17-24  illustrate an example embodiment of the instant invention using a martini glass. In this exemplary embodiment, martini glass  300  includes novel drinking brim  102 , bowl  302 , stem  304 , and base  306 . Novel drinking brim  102  is positioned on the top edge of bowl  302 , as shown in  FIGS. 21-24 . Novel drinking brim  102  is placed at any orientation along the upper edge of bowl  302 . The angled profile, or shape, of bowl  302  does not impact the contoured profile of novel drinking brim  102  since novel drinking brim  102  is shaped to fit a drinker&#39;s mouth. 
         [0049]    The bottom of bowl  302  of martini glass  300  is connected to stem  304 . Stem  304  is further connected to base  306 . A drinker typically holds martini glass  300  by stem  304  when picking up martini glass  300  to take a drink. The contents of martini glass  300  are located in bowl  302 . In an example embodiment, the contents of martini glass  300  are located in bowl  302 , stem  304 , and optionally in base  306 . The drinker consumes the contents of martini glass  300  by placing his mouth onto novel drinking brim  102 . 
         [0050]    In an exemplary embodiment, martini glass  300  includes more than one novel drinking brim  102 . Any drinking vessel can include multiple novel drinking brims  102 . Although sized may vary, a standard martini glass holds 4.5 fluid ounces. Oversized martini glasses, which can often include 12 fluid ounces, are popular at restaurant and bar locations. Multiple people order an oversized martini glass to jointly share in the consumption of the contents of the oversized martini glass. An example embodiment of an oversized martini glass includes two or more novel drinking brims  102  on the same side of the bowl  302 . This allows two or more drinkers to consume the contents of the oversized martini glass at the same time. 
         [0051]    In an alternative embodiment the a drinking vessel may be shared by two or more persons through novel drinking brims on alternative sides of the vessel, such that the vessel is passed back and forth between persons sharing the glass, where each person has there own novel drinking brim. 
         [0052]    In an embodiment utilizing more than one novel drinking brim the additional drinking brims may be further identified and/or distinguished by marking, with color, symbol, decoration or otherwise. The identifying channel markers enable persons sharing a drink to identify, maintain and/or choose a specific spot on the brim. In some embodiments the extent of channel depressions forming drinking brims may vary in the extent in which they extend outward and/or downward and/or in the width and depth of the valley channel. This enables a single vessel to have multiple countered drinking brims. Each countered drinking brim provides a different drinking experience. The varying contours of drinking brims may be preferably selected by a drinker or used in a game of chance and/or skill. 
         [0053]    Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.