Abstract:
A family of reusable insulating cup handles featuring an interesting haptic “click” characteristic and a grip-enhancing resilient, tacky surface, which may be made from a variety of materials.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to beverage-container accessories. More specifically, the invention relates to reusable insulators and handles for beverage containers such as cups, bottles and cans. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many beverages are served in disposable containers such as bottles, cans and paper or foam cups. These containers are usually regular in form, cylindrical or truncated conical, and provided without protrusions or other adornments. Such containers are efficient in their use of material, and (if shipped empty) can be stacked or nested to reduce their overall volume and improve shipping efficiency. Unfortunately, the same features that improve efficiency, detract from usefulness when the containers are filled and served. For example, thin paper cups may be too hot to hold when filled with coffee, and condensation on cold aluminum cans may make them slippery and hard to grasp. 
         [0003]    Paper insulating sleeves are often provided to address the first problem, and foam or neoprene “cozies” help with the second, but insulating sleeves are wasteful, and neoprene cozies take up space when not in use. A reusable, insulating beverage holder may be of value in this field. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Embodiments of the invention use a flexible bi-stable spring member, a sturdy handle and a pliable, resilient covering to make a reusable beverage holder with interesting tactile and haptic characteristics. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a bi-stable spring member in its two stable configurations. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2A-2C  show an embodiment of the invention during attachment to a beverage container. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3A-3F  show several views of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a partial cutaway view of an embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 5A-5C  show other embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Embodiments of the invention provide a reusable insulating beverage container handle with interesting tactile and haptic properties, in addition to the principal functional characteristics of temperature- and slip-resistance. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows an oblong resilient spring member  100  which forms the core of an embodiment of the invention. The spring member is slightly concave about its longer axis, as shown in perspective view  110 . When flexed about its shorter axis, it springs or curls into a cylindrical shape  120 , often with a satisfying audible or tactile click. The spring member is stable in either the flat or curled state until it is partly flexed or uncurled towards the other state, at which time it will spring fully to that other state. 
         [0013]    Springs of this general form and behavior are frequently made of thin leaves of spring steel, and have been used as bracelets and children&#39;s toys. The relatively complex, bi-stable behavior of the spring member is at odds with its apparently simple construction, and many people enjoy playing with or “clicking” them as a distraction or (paradoxically) as a mental focusing aid. 
         [0014]      FIGS. 2A-2C  show an embodiment of the invention which relies on a bi-stable spring member like that described with reference to  FIG. 1 , to wrap around and attach to a roughly-cylindrical object. In this series of illustrations, the inventive insulated handle  200  (with its spring member in its flat or uncurled state) is brought near a cylindrical object  210  such as a beverage can ( FIG. 2A ). Next, the “arms”  220 ,  230  or ends of the oblong main body are flexed toward the cylinder ( FIG. 2B ). Finally, when the critical flexion point is reached, the arms spring to their curled position, wrapping around and attaching the handle to the cylinder ( FIG. 2C ). 
         [0015]      FIGS. 3A-F  show a number of views of an embodiment of the invention, with various features identified and highlighted. Plan-view  3 A shows the back or outside of the embodiment. The long, horizontal axis of the oblong spring body is indicated at  310 , while a perpendicular, transverse elongation  320  provides attachment points for the handle  330 . The principal axis of the handle (an imaginary line through the curled fingers of a user&#39;s hand holding the handle) is roughly perpendicular to the long axis of the spring body. The transverse elongation facilitates the attachment of a longer handle, which may better suit the hand sizes of range of users. Also, the elongation alters the planes of bending and shear forces that act to detach a full, heavy container from the grip of the arms of the embodiment, reducing the chance of accidental detachment. At either end of the oblong spring body, grip-enhancing features  340  may be positioned to improve device function as detailed below. 
         [0016]    Top view  3 B shows little beyond the modest thickness of most of the oblong spring body and another view of handle  330  extending therefrom. 
         [0017]    View  3 C is the front or inner surface of the embodiment. When the embodiment is in its curled state and attached to a roughly-cylindrical object, portions of this inner surface are in contact with the object. As shown in this view, the inner surface may include horizontal protrusions or ribs  350 , and additional grip-enhancing features  360  which interact with the features identified as  340  in plan view  3 A. (All of  FIGS. 3A-3A  show the embodiment in its flattened, extended or uncurled configuration, where the spring body is substantially planar.) 
         [0018]    Side view  3 F shows the slight concavity of the spring body and the profiles of ribs  350  and handle  330 . Note in this view that an embodiment may contain a smaller, narrower active bi-stable spring member  370  molded into, embedded or inserted into a covering; the entire oblong spring body need not be formed of the resilient spring material. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 3D and 3E  show the embodiment in its curled state, attached to a disposable paper coffee cup. (Such cups are often shaped as truncated cones rather than cylinders. An embodiment can attach to and hold these cups as well as cylindrical cans and similar containers.) When curled, the spring body is substantially cylindrical in shape, with the handle extending out from the outer surface of the cylinder. At  380 , note that the ends of the elongated spring body, with their grip-enhancing features  340  and  360 , are overlapped. (In particular, the outside features of one arm are in contact with the inside features of the other arm. In an embodiment, both arms may have grip-enhancing features on both the inside and outside of both arms, so that the arms can be overlapped either left-over-right or right-over-left.) 
         [0020]    The grip-enhancing features may be, for example, bumps and depressions that fit together and resist shear stresses pulling the ends of the arms apart. Other embodiments may use sawtooth or ramp features, magnets, or self-adhesive materials as grip-enhancing features to help prevent the arms of the elongated spring body from slipping apart and releasing the attached container. 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of the invention (generally at  400 ). In this illustration, a portion of the right arm of the oblong spring body has been cut away along line  410  to expose internal spring member  470 . In this embodiment, a simple, roughly rectangular spring has been molded into a covering, which further comprises the handle (only partly visible in this view) vertical ribs  450 , and grip-enhancing features (not visible). In some embodiments, spring  470  may have perforations  490  to improve the connection between spring  470  and the over-molded outer covering. 
         [0022]    In other embodiments, the outer covering may be molded without the core spring member. Instead, in such an embodiment, the molded covering is either formed with a slit, or a slit is cut after molding, and the spring member is inserted into it later, as into a sleeve. 
         [0023]    In some embodiments, the handle is molded at the same time, and from the same material, as the rest of the oblong spring body. In other embodiments, the handle may be made from a different material (such as a higher-durometer polymer) and combined with the spring body in a subsequent manufacturing operation. 
         [0024]    Many embodiments are molded from a silicone material. The resilient, slightly sticky feel of this material provides additional tactile interest to an embodiment and complements the haptic click as the arms are straightened and curled. In addition, silicone provides excellent insulation properties to protect a user&#39;s hands from hot or cold contents of the beverage container, and anti-slip properties to increase the shear resistance of the arm-end overlap and reduce the risk of inadvertent disconnection of the embodiment from the container. 
         [0025]    An embodiment need not comprise a full silicone (or other material) sheath over the bi-stable spring core. A “skeletonized” version may comprise a mostly-bare spring core (perhaps formed from a spring material such as titanium, which can be processed to obtain an attractive and durable multi-colored finish). The core may be fitted with a few silicone loops or bands to provide tactile interest and anti-slip properties when curled against a container, and a minimal handle of metal or plastic. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5A  shows another embodiment of the invention, with a singly-attached handle  510 . This handle can be “hooked” over a support to hold the attached container when a surface on which the container can be rested is not available. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5B  shows another embodiment comprising two radially-opposed handles. Two (or more) handles may be helpful for children and other users of impaired dexterity. The embodiment of  FIG. 5B  is shown, for example, wrapping and holding an infant&#39;s bottle. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5C  shows yet another embodiment of the invention. This version has no handle at all, so its primary functions are temperature insulation and slip resistance, but it also has the interesting resilient, slightly sticky, “squishy” tactile and haptic “click” properties of other embodiments. 
         [0029]    In one preferred embodiment, the bistable spring member is approximately 300 mm in length, and approximately 60 mm in width over most of its length. The transverse elongation where the handle attaches is approximately 40 mm wide and 100 mm tall. The handle is roughly tubular, around 10 mm in diameter, and extends approximately 45 mm from the outside surface of the spring member. When curled, this embodiment can accommodate cylindrical and truncated-conical containers with diameters between approximately 70 mm and 90 mm. (In particular, the grip-enhancing features cover at least the last 40 mm of both inside and outside of the ends of the spring member, so that they overlap by between 10 mm and 40 mm when the embodiment is attached to containers of the sizes noted.) This embodiment can be used with larger or smaller containers, but its holding strength may be slightly compromised. 
         [0030]    The characteristics of the present invention have been described largely by reference to specific examples and in terms of particular materials and manufacturing techniques. However, those of skill in the art will recognize that reusable, insulating handles for beverage containers can also be constructed in other forms and from other materials without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. Such alternate forms and materials are understood to be captured according to the following claims.