Abstract:
A closed cup for dispensing comestible products, such as drinks for babies and infants, includes a double walled body and a top. An electronic assembly is disposed between the two walls of the body and includes one or more light sources arranged to emit light through the body sidewall. An event sensor, such as an accelerometer, senses when a certain event is taking places, for example, the cup is shaken, causing the light source(s) to be activated.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/979,283 filed on Apr. 14, 2014 and incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    a. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    This invention pertains to a cup that lights up when certain events take place, such as when the cup is put down or is knocked by a hard object. 
         [0004]    b. Field of Invention 
         [0005]    Drinking cups are very popular especially for babies, infants, toddlers and even older children. They are the preferred means of providing liquids at any time of the day or night. Most drinking cups for children are available as an assembly of a lower portion forming a receptacle for the liquids. These lower portions are frequently double walled to provide thermal insulation to the cup contents, to make the lower portion stronger, etc. The assembly typically further includes a lid used to close securely to make the cup somewhat spill proof. The lid is provided with a spout through which a child can drink the cup contents. A valve may be provided in the spout or elsewhere in the lid to insure that the contents of the cup don&#39;t spill if the cup is shaken, turned over or otherwise disturbed. These types of cups have become known as “sippy cups” and are widely available from different manufacturers. 
         [0006]    Most sippy cups have decorations in form of painted figures or other artwork on the sidewalls of the lower portion and the top surface of the lid. The purpose of these decorations is to attract attention of the child while in use. Unfortunately, in today&#39;s busy environment, the sippy cups must vie for the child&#39;s attention with many other devices, such as TVs, lights, cell phones, toys and various other electronic devices all which generate dynamic, sharp, colorful, flashy images at the child. In many situations, with all this excitation around the child, the child quickly loses attention and interest in conventional sippy cups and fails to drink their contents. 
         [0007]    The present invention overcomes these problems and presents a drinking cup that is attractive and holds the attention of children longer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An illuminated cup or container constructed in accordance with this invention includes a top, and a preferably double-walled body cooperating with said top to define a main cavity selectively holding a comestible product, such as a drink for a baby or infant. The body includes an outer wall made of a translucent material. 
         [0009]    An electronic assembly is also provided that includes at least a first plurality of light sources disposed in the intermediate cavity formed between the walls of the body, and a power supply selectively activated to provide power to the light sources causing said light sources to light up and become visible outside said body. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the electronic assembly includes an event sensor sensing a predetermined event, the event sensor controlling the activation of said light sources. 
         [0011]    Preferably, a timer is provided within the body that is coupled to the event sensor and is responsive to said event sensor to activate said light sources. 
         [0012]    The electronic assembly further comprises a second plurality of light sources selectively powered by said power supply, the second plurality of light sources being disposed at the bottom of the body. When these light sources are activated, they are also visible through an outer wall of the body. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the light sources are activated simultaneously by the timer. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, the light sources are activated in a predetermined sequence. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the event sensor is an accelerometer adapted to sense a particular motion of the body for example, when the body is shaken or placed on a relatively hard surface. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment, the cup includes a top and a double walled body, the body including a main cavity for receiving and holding a comestible product, such as a drink for a baby or infant, and an intermediate cavity formed between the walls. The intermediate cavity includes an upper section that is generally frustoconical and is used to hold the various light sources mentioned above. The light sources may be supported by the wires that also provide power to the light sources. Alternatively, the light sources are attached to one of the walls of the intermediate cavity. 
         [0017]    The bottom portion of the intermediate cavity is generally disc shaped and is arranged to receive and hold a disc shaped printed circuit board. A battery is attached or supported by the printed circuit board and provides power for the light sources. 
         [0018]    Also attached to the printed circuit board is the timer and the event sensor switch. The timer and the event sensor switch can be bundled on the printed circuit board as a single integrated circuit (IC) chip. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows an isometric front view of a cup constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the cup of FIG.  1 ′; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a horizontal cross sectional view of the cup taken along lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  shows a blown-up view of the cup of  FIGS. 1-3 ; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  shows an electrical diagram illustrating how the light sources are powered and activated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    As shown in the Figures, a drinking cup  10  constructed in accordance with this invention includes a lid  12  and a body  14 . These elements cooperate to form a container for an comestible product  33 . 
         [0025]    The lid  12  includes a generally cylindrical lower portion  20 , a dome  22  and a spout  24 . The spout  24  forms a channel  26  through which the contents of the body  12  can be dispensed (such as a comestible product  33 —see  FIG. 2 ). As mentioned above, a conventional valve  28  may also be provided in the spout  24 . The valve prevents the contents of the cup  10  should the cup be turned over or shaken, a fairly common occurrence around young children. 
         [0026]    The body  14  includes an inner member  30  and an outer member  40 . The two members  30 ,  40  are preferably colored either uniformly or with various esthetic designs. In addition, outer member  40  or both members  30 ,  40  are transparent or at least translucent. 
         [0027]    The inner member  30  is formed with a cylindrical or frustoconical side wall  32  with a ring-shaped portion  34  and a somewhat flat bottom surface  36 . Wall  32  includes an inner surface  32 A and an outer surface  32 B. 
         [0028]    The ring shaped portion  34  is adapted to engage the lower portion  20  of top  12  and form therewith a substantially spill proof container. For example, the portions  20  and  34  may be threaded or may be shaped and sized to form a frictional engagement therebetween. 
         [0029]    In addition, portion  34  includes a downwardly extending circumferential channel  37 . 
         [0030]    The outer member  40  includes cylindrical or frustoconical outer wall  42  with a top lip  44  attaching the outer member  40  to the inner member to form a seal using conventional means, such as an adhesive, ultrasonic welding, frictional interface, etc. For example, the lip  44  may fit into the circumferential channel  37  formed on the portion  34 . 
         [0031]    The outer member  40  further includes a bottom surface  46  that is flat so that the cup  10  can be rested on a flat surface. In one embodiment, the surface  46  may be joined to the outer wall  42  by a frustoconical wall  48 . The outer wall  42  also includes an inner surface  42 A and an outer surface  42 B. 
         [0032]    Preferably the inner and outer members  30 ,  40  are sized and shaped to form an intermediate cavity  50  therebetween ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The seal between the members  30 ,  40  (formed between the lip  44  of member  40  and channel  37  of portion ring-shaped portion  34 ) renders this cavity  50  waterproof. Cavity  50  includes two cavity portions: a top portion  52  disposed between frustoconical walls  32 ,  42  and a disc-shaped portion  54  disposed between bottom surfaces  36  and  46 . 
         [0033]    Cavity  50  holds an electronic assembly  60  consisting of a disc shaped circuit board  62  (preferably disposed in cavity portion  54 ) and a first set of light sources  64 . In the figures four such light sources  64  are shown disposed at 120 degrees the cavity  52 . It should be understood that more or less number of light sources may be used and that these light sources may be at a same height with respect to the circuit board  62 , or at different heights. 
         [0034]    Light sources  64  are connected to the circuit board  62  by wires  66  to provide power to the sources  64  as described below. The light sources  64  may be supported by the wires  66  within the cavity portion  52  (if the wires  66  are stiff enough) or may be secured to either outer surface  32 B of the inner wall  32  or the inner surface  42 A of the outer wall  42  by a tape  68  or any other conventional means. The light sources may be preferably colored LEDs. 
         [0035]    The circuit board  62  includes a battery  70 , an IC  72  and another plurality of light sources  74 . The battery  70  and IC  72  cooperate to sense when a predetermined event place takes place, and in response, activate the light sources  64 ,  74 , either simultaneously, or sequentially. In order to preserve power, the activation of the light sources  64 ,  74  occurs only for a relatively short period, of time, e.g., 3-10 seconds. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  shows an exemplary configuration for the electronic assembly  60 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the electronic assembly also includes an event sensor switch  76  and a timer  78 . The event sensor switch  76  may be implemented in various ways. In one embodiment, the sensor switch  76  is an accelerometer that senses a sudden movement or acceleration of the cub  10 . For example, the sensor switch  67  may close when the cup  10  is shaken or placed on relatively hard surface. In another embodiment, the switch  76  is merely a momentary mechanical on/off switch that may or may not be part of the IC  72  or may be mounted on the cup  10  separately and remotely from the circuit board  62 . 
         [0037]    The closing of switch  76  activates timer  78 . The timer  78  in turn sends current to sources  64 ,  74  thereby causing them to light up. In one embodiment, each light source is lit up for a predetermined time period (e.g., 3-10 seconds as set forth above) and then is shut off. In one alternate embodiment, the light sources  64 ,  74  all flash several times before being shut off. In  FIG. 5 , all the light sources are activated simultaneously by timer  78 . Alternatively, the light sources  64 ,  74  can be connected so that they are activated at different times, in sequence. For example, 
         [0038]    As discussed above, light sources can be white or can have several different colors. In one embodiment, light sources are paired with one light source  64  having the same color as the light source  74  disposed below it on PC board  62 . 
         [0039]    As discussed above, at least the outer wall  42  is translucent. Preferably, the outer surface of the outer wall  42  is provided with various esthetical designs (not shown) selected especially to please young children. As the light sources are activated they illuminate these esthetic design from the inside in an attractive manner thereby drawing the attention of small children. This effect is further enhanced if the inner wall  42  is also translucent thereby illuminating designs on the inner wall and/or the contents of the cup  10 . 
         [0040]    In the embodiments described so far and shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , cup  10  is shown with light source disposed in the cup body  12 . However, the light sources may be provided similarly in the top  14  as well, as at  90 . The light sources  90  may be activated by electronic assembly  60  through conventional connectors passing current to the top  14 . Alternatively, a secondary electronic assembly  92  similar to assembly  60  may be provided to energize and activate sources  90 . 
         [0041]    Numerous other modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its scope as defined in the appended claims.