Abstract:
A beverage container or the like includes at least two different relationship status indicia. Whenever an individual wishes to reveal to others his or her relationship status, he or she marks adjacently to the relevant status relationship indicia, thereby to discretely reveal to others that individual&#39;s then current relationship status.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The methods, systems, and apparatus described herein relate generally to beverage containers, and more specifically to a beverage container, which reveals the relationship status of the user. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A very common way that individuals seek fun and enjoyment is for them to go to a bar, club or party either alone or with friends. At these functions, the individual typically enjoys one or more drinks, usually of an alcoholic nature. If the person is single or otherwise unattached, a common reason to go out for a drink is to possibly meet another person with the intent of striking up a new relationship, either short or long-term. If, on the other hand, the person is married or involved in a relationship, or simply wishes to be left alone, he or she may not wish to be approached by another person who is unaware that he or she is attached. It is thus desirable for there to be a way in which one in a social environment in which liquor is being consumed to be able to convey in a nonverbal, non-threatening way that he or she either is unattached and would welcome the attention of another, or is attached and would prefer not to be approached by another. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    To these ends, the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein are directed to beverage containers, which allow the user to designate a general denoted status as well as his or her relationship status. 
         [0004]    In some embodiments, indicia such as the words “Single” or “Taken” or the letters S or T are printed on a beverage container such as a bottle, cup, can or container. When the user wishes to reveal his or her relationship status to others, he or she may scratch, mark next to, puncture, rip or break an area on the label or container adjacent to one of the appropriate relationship-status indicia. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments, the words “Single” and “Taken” or S and T or their equivalents are printed but normally hidden from view on the container or on the peel-off label of beverage container. When the user wishes to reveal his or her relationship status to others, he or she may scratch off, remove, peel off, rip, or break the material covering the appropriate relationship-status indicia. 
         [0006]    Further, in some embodiments, when used as a general denotation, next to an emotion or general mood status on the label of a bottle or can, the wearer may scratch, mark next to, puncture, damage, rip, or break the label next to either of the aforementioned connotations, revealing his or her mood to others. 
         [0007]    In a related aspect, two human-like stick figures may be positioned adjacent to one another on the label of a cup, can, container, or bottle designating by default that the user is in a relationship, when left unmarked, unbroken, or unscratched. But, if the user is single, he or she may peel one of the figures away from the other, discard it, leaving one stick figure to stand alone, thus revealing his or her status as single. 
         [0008]    In addition to, or in place of the words “Single” and “Taken,” or letters S and T, single and double stick figures, respectively, may be used to denote the user&#39;s relationship status. 
         [0009]    In some implementations, a container is provided that includes an outer surface. The outer surface of the container may include at least one indicia that indicates a relationship status of an individual. 
         [0010]    The following features may be present in the container in any suitable combination. The outer surface of the container may include at least two indicia that indicate opposing relationship statuses. The at least two indicia may be symbols indicating that the individual is either in or is not in a relationship. In such implementations, the symbols may include the words “Taken” and “Single” or the letters “S” and “T.” Alternately or additionally, in such implementations, the symbols may include one or two stick figures. The at least one of the at least two indicia may be hidden until revealed by a user of the container. The container may be a bottle, in some implementations. In some embodiments, the outer surface can be adhered to the container by at least one layer of adhesive. Alternatively, or additionally, the at least one indicia may indicate the emotional status of an individual. 
         [0011]    Further, in some implementations, a container is provided that includes an outer surface, in which the outer surface includes at least a first and a second indicia. In such implementations, each of the first and second indicia are selectively markable to indicate selection of one of the indicia. The indicia indicate opposing relationship statuses of the user in these implementations. 
         [0012]    The following features may be present in the above-described container in any suitable combination. The container may be a bottle in some implementations. In some implementations, the indicia may include the words “Taken” and “Single” or the letters “S” and “T.” The indicia may include one or two stick figures. 
         [0013]    In other implementations, a beverage container that includes at least one label may be provided, in which the at least one label includes at least two designated areas. In such beverage containers, each designated area includes an indicia indicating a user&#39;s status. 
         [0014]    The following features may be present in the beverage container in any suitable combination. The designated areas may include indicia of relationship status. In some implementations, at least one designated area may be removable. Removing at least one designated area may change the user&#39;s status indicated on the beverage container in some implementations. The indicia may include a single stick figure. In some implementations, the at least one label may include the words “Taken” and “Single” or the letters “T” and “S.” 
         [0015]    In a related aspect, in some implementations, a container is provided that includes a removable outer surface adhered to the container by at least one layer of adhesive. The removable outer surface includes at least one indicia, in which the indicia indicates a status of an individual. Optionally, the at least one indicia of the removable outer surface may indicates a relationship status of an individual. 
         [0016]    In another related aspect, some implementations may provide a container that includes a removable outer surface, in which the removable outer surface may include at least one indicia that indicates the relationship status of an individual. 
         [0017]    The relationship status-identifying indicia described above may also be included on the insulating jacket or sleeve used for coffee cups or the like, and the appropriate, desired indicia may be revealed to others in a similar manner. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    To the accomplishment of the above and to such further objects as may hereinafter appear, the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein relate to a container used to reveal a general status or the status of one&#39;s relationship, substantially as described in the following specification of several embodiments as considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary beverage container for indicating status; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates another exemplary implementation of a beverage container for indicating status; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 3-4  illustrates another implementation of a beverage container for indicating status in which the beverage container is a bottle; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates an implementation of a beverage container for indicating status—in which the beverage container has a removable surface that is a beverage sleeve. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    It is an object of the methods, systems, and apparatus described herein to provide a beverage container, which has the ability to reveal someone&#39;s relationship status. 
         [0024]    It is further an object of the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein to provide a beverage container which gives the user a choice to scratch, peel, or mark his or her relationship status into one of two designations, symbols, or words revealing his or her relationship status. 
         [0025]    It is yet a further object of the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein to provide a beverage container which gives the user a choice to designate his or her relationship status by peeling away one of two adjacent figures, initials, or words, revealing his or her relationship status. 
         [0026]    It is also an object of the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein to provide a label on a beverage container which when peeled, nicked, broken or scratched away, reveals a general status of the user. 
         [0027]    It is yet another object of the present invention, and systems described herein to provide a cost effective way of allowing the user to choose a designation of choice, mood, behavior, liking, or relationship status on a beverage container. 
         [0028]    Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in  FIG. 1  a cup  1  which has marking boxes  3  and  5 . Situated below letter box  3  is a letter “S” denoted as  7 . The “S” stands for, and is written next to, the word “Single”. Below the letter “S”  7  is a single stick  figure 11 , also representing that the user is single. It is possible that alternate words or symbols for the word “Single” may be used. 
         [0029]    Box  5  sits above a letter “T” denoted as  9 . The “T” stands for, and is written next to, the word “Taken”. Below letter  9  are two human-like stick  figures 13 , representing that the user is “taken” or in a relationship. It is also possible that alternate words or symbols for the word “Taken” may be used. 
         [0030]    In use, the cup user looks to the boxes  3  and  5 , reads the designations and or symbols below the boxes. If he or she is single, the user takes a pen, pencil or marker and marks box  3 , as is shown at check mark  15 . If the user is “taken” or in a relationship, alternately the user would check box  5  above letter “T” at  9  and the stick figures at  13 . 
         [0031]    For boxes  3  and  5 , it is also possible that markable tabs may be used, where the user would take his or her fingernail and scratch or mark the box, denoting his or her relationship status. 
         [0032]    In place of cup  1 , it is possible that a bottle, jar, can, or beverage container of any sort may be used. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment in which the beverage container is in the form of a bottle  17  with an upper label  35  and a lower label  16 . The upper label  35  is smaller than the lower label  16 , and the bottle  17  may have both labels so that at any time at least one label may be visible to others while the user holds the bottle  17 . 
         [0034]    In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , the user is in a relationship. In using the beverage container to communicate his or her status, the user may look at the lower label  16 , first to stick  figure 27 , then to “S” denoted by  29 , then to box  31 . Since the user is not single, the user may then look to the right side of the lower label  16  at stick  figures 25 , the letter “T” denoted by  23 , and box  33 , sitting above  23 . With his or her fingernail  21  of finger  19 , the user may scratch away the corner of box  33 , creating material ripple  34 , and revealing sticker marks  36 , that show that he or she has chosen the box above “T.” This selection indicates that the user is “taken,” and in this manner letter T at  23  and the stick  figures 25 , reveal to others who view his or her bottle, that he or she is in a relationship. 
         [0035]    If the user chooses to reveal his or her relationship status by using the upper label  35 , shown in  FIG. 2 , he or she now has the further choice of peeling or scratching off box  39  or box  37 , respectively situated next to “S”  45  and “T”  46 . 
         [0036]    Furthermore, in an alternate embodiment, it is possible to have on the upper label  35 , only “S” at  45  by itself. If the user is single, he or she may scratch the square  39  next to “S”  45 . If the user is not single he or she may not scratch or peel anywhere on the label, letting others know that by default he or she is possibly in a relationship. 
         [0037]    It is possible that dotted lines  30  may be printed on the lower label  16 , or that they may actually be made of perforated lines on the label, allowing the user to grab, with his or her finger, the corner of box  33 , and peel it off, separating tab  33  from label  16  at the perforated lines. 
         [0038]    In  FIG. 2 , printed on the lower portion of the lower label  16  is box  43 , adjacent to the words “Happy”  41 . If the user is happy, he or she may scratch or peel away corner  43 , letting others know his or her mood. Any emotion, feeling, or mood for this feature may be displayed on the lower label  16  in place of, or in addition to, “Happy”. As well, this feature can be used to represent a number of identifying factors connecting the person with a genre, a church group, a fraternity, and the like. 
         [0039]    One of the benefits of using a label that would ordinarily be found on a beverage container as a means for marking a general status or relationship is that no added paper, glue or excess materials may be needed to execute the task. Due to the natural “peel off” construction of many beverage container labels, it can be inherently cost effective to indicate status by utilizing an initial and adjacent figure, symbol or word, that may be marked by the user. 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  shows yet another embodiment of the invention in which a label  53  is secured to bottle  51 . The label  53 , may be the only label on the bottle  51 , or it may be larger, more predominant label on the bottle  51 . 
         [0041]    On one portion of the label  53  there may be printed or perforated lines  65 , which may outline a box  63 , which surrounds a printed stick  figure 61 . 
         [0042]    Also shown, is upper label  67  which may include stick  figures 75 and 71 , which may be separated by perforated or dotted line  77 , thus separating upper label  67  into boxes  73  and  69 . 
         [0043]    In use, as shown in  FIG. 4 , if the user is single, he or she may grasp box  73  with fingers  80  and  83  at the corner and peels it down and along perforated edge and dotted line  77 , leaving stick  figure 79  remaining in box  69 , thus representing that he or she is “single”. If the user were in a relationship and wished to let others know of this status, he or she may leave upper label  67  in tact. 
         [0044]    It is also possible, that “Single” may be printed in box  69  of label  67  and “Taken” may be printed in box  73  of label  67 . In use, if the user is single, he or she may peel off box  73  from the entire label  67 , and vice versa, if he or she is taken or in a relationship. 
         [0045]    In the embodiment, as seen in  FIG. 3  on label  53 , the user may also have a choice. If the user is single, he or she may look to the stick  figure 61 , rather than the pair of stick  figures 59 . In use, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the user may then grab the corner of box  63  with fingers  80  and  83 , and peel it down, off the vertical perforated and dotted line  65 , leaving him or her with excess material  63   a , which can then be completely torn off the bottle. Perforated line  65  may then become an edge  65   a  of label  53 . It is also possible, that in place of stick  figure 61 , the letter “S” may be used, and as well, in place of the pair of stick  figures 59 , the letter “T” may be used. 
         [0046]    In some embodiments, an “S” or a “T”, or a single stick figure or a pair of stick figures may be displayed below a box,  57 ,  63 ,  73 , and  69 , so when the user peels a box off a label on a beverage container, only an appropriate relationship-status indicia remains. 
         [0047]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the invention, where the Single or Taken, the “S” at  97 , and “T” at  89 , or the single stick  figures 95  or dual stick  figures 87 , are used with a cardboard beverage sleeve jacket  94 . The user may have a choice to check with a pen or marker the box above his relevant status. As well he may puncture, scratch mark, or rip the label in or around the associated box  93  or  99 , relevant to his relationship status. It is also possible that excess tabs  103  and  105  may be peeled off revealing a hidden “S” at  101  or a hidden “T” at  91 , revealing his or her relationship status. 
         [0048]    In some embodiments, the outer edges of boxes  99  and  93  may be perforated into the cardboard with exposed tabs  105  and  103 , where the user may then grab the tabs and peel the box portion along the perforated lines from the cardboard coffee jacket  9  to indicate status. 
         [0049]    The description above includes description of beverage containers, for example cups and bottles, with a removable covering or removable outer surface. The beverage container may be any type of beverage container, including a glass bottle, plastic bottle, a metal bottle, a flask, a plastic cup, a ceramic cup, a glass cup, a paper cup, a reusable container, a disposable container, and the like. The removable covering or removable outer surface may be any covering that may adhere to the beverage container by adhesive (e.g., a label) or by frictional fit, for example a beverage container sleeve. Portions of the removable outer surface may be torn, scratched, revealed, removed from the container, marked with a writing implement, and the like to indicate the selection of one or more indicators (e.g. indicia) of status, for example relationship status or emotional status (e.g., happy, open to conversation, do not disturb). In some implementations, one removable outer surface may be replaced by another. For example, one beverage sleeve may be replaced by another or a second label may be placed over a first label when a user of the beverage container wishes to convey a change in status or mood. In the implementations described herein, the removable outer surface or removable outer covering may be used for labeling the contents of the beverage container as well as the status of the user (e.g., drinker). In this way, the outer surface (e.g., label, beverage sleeve) does not add to the items on the beverage container, may not require the user to have additional tools to indicate his or her status, and can indicate status of the user in a subtle and inexpensive manner. 
         [0050]    While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of an invention that is claimed or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or a variation of a sub-combination. Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. 
         [0051]    Although embodiments of various methods and devices are described herein in detail with reference to certain versions, it should be appreciated that other versions, methods of use, embodiments, and combinations thereof are also possible. Therefore the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.