Abstract:
An insulated decorated drinking vessel having an inner vessel located within an outer vessel and a decorative insert located in an annular space between the inner and outer vessels. The annular space includes a first stop member projecting therein and a second stop member projecting therein. The decorative insert is a curved member having a top edge portion from which a first and second tabs project. The first tab is arranged to engage the first stop member on one side of the first stop member and the second tab is arranged to engage the second stop member on a corresponding side of the second stop member, whereupon the decorative insert is held in place within the annular space and precluded from rotating therein.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     “Not Applicable” 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     “Not Applicable” 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK 
     “Not Applicable” 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to drinking vessels and more particularly to insulated vessels having an inner vessel located within an outer vessel with an insulation space therebetween in which a decorative wrap is located. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many double walled drinking vessels are commercially available from various sources, including Tervis Tumbler Company, the assignee of this invention. Such vessels typically are formed of an inner vessel located within and spaced from outer vessel by an annular air or vacuum space to thermally insulate the inner vessel from the ambient atmosphere. Some of such double walled vessels are decorated by use of a decorative wrap which is rolled up and disposed within the annular insulating space. 
     For many applications it is desired that the double walled vessel and its decorated wrap be constructed so that the placement of the decorated wrap inside the annular space can be achieved easily, effectively and consistently within a small tolerance so that when the vessel has been assembled, the wrap is prevented from rotating within the annular space. The subject invention addresses that need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a decorated drinking vessel comprising an inner vessel, an outer vessel and a decorated insert. The inner vessel has a circular sidewall extending about a central longitudinal axis. The circular sidewall of the inner vessel has an outer surface. The outer vessel has a circular sidewall extending about the central longitudinal axis. The circular sidewall of the outer vessel has an inner surface. The inner vessel is disposed within the outer vessel with the outer surface of the inner vessel spaced from the inner surface of the outer vessel to form a hollow annular space therebetween. The annular space includes a first stop member projecting therein and a second stop member projecting therein. The decorative insert is a curved member having a top edge portion and a bottom edge portion. One of the top edge portion and the bottom edge portion has a first tab projecting therefrom and a second tab projecting therefrom. The first tab is arranged to engage the first stop member on one side of the first stop member and the second tab is arranged to engage the second stop member on a corresponding side of the second stop member, whereupon the decorative insert is held in place within the annular space and precluded from rotating about the central longitudinal axis. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a portion of an exemplary double walled drinking vessel, e.g., an insulated bottle, constructed in accordance with the teaching of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of an exemplary decorated wrap, forming a portion of the bottle of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is side elevation view of the top portion of an inner vessel forming a portion of the bottle of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a stop portion of the bottle shown within the circle designed by the number  4  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing a first tab of the decorated wrap engaging the stop portion of the bottle shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the stop portion of the bottle shown within the circle designed by the number  6  in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing a second tab of the decorated wrap engaging another stop portion of the bottle; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of the stop portion of the bottle shown within the circle designed by the number  8  in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of the decorated wrap taken along  9 - 9  of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the various figures of the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is shown at  20  in  FIG. 1  one exemplary embodiment of a portion of an insulated decorated bottle constructed in accordance with this invention. It must be pointed out at this juncture that the bottle  20  is merely illustrative of numerous double walled decorated vessels that can be constructed in accordance with this invention. Thus, in this exemplary embodiment the complete bottle includes a bottle assembly  20  and a lid assembly (not shown, but which will be described later). 
     The bottle assembly  20  is best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 10  and basically comprises an assembly of a hollow outer body or vessel  22 , a hollow inner body or vessel  24  ( FIG. 10 ), and a decorative wrap  26 . The outer vessel  22  is a hollow member having a sidewall which is a body of revolution extending about a central longitudinal axis  28 . The outer vessel can be formed in any manner, e.g., it can be blow molded or injection molded of any suitable plastic material. The hollow inner vessel  24  is also a hollow member having a sidewall which is a body of revolution extending about the central longitudinal axis  28 . The outer vessel can also be formed in any manner, e.g., it can be blow molded or injection molded of any suitable plastic material (e.g., the same plastic material as the vessel  22  or some other material). 
     Each vessel includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner vessel  24  is located within the outer vessel so that its outer surface is disposed opposite and confronting the inner surface of the outer vessel, but is spaced slightly therefrom to form an annular thermally insulating space  30  therebetween. 
     As is conventional the inner vessel and outer vessel are secured together by welded, e.g., ultrasonically welded, joint (not shown) at their top portions to isolate the annular space  30  from the ambient atmosphere. With the foregoing arrangement the inner vessel  24  of the bottle assembly  20  is thermally insulated from the ambient atmosphere. Thus, any type of liquid, e.g., cold water or soda, hot tea or coffee, etc., can be held within the inner vessel to maintain its temperature. 
     The lid assembly of the bottle includes a threaded portion that is arranged to be screwed on to corresponding threads  32  of the bottle assembly  20  to close off the top of the bottle assembly. The lid assembly can be of any suitable construction, e.g., it can include a pivotable cap, to enable a person to fill the bottle when desired and to take a drink or pour from the bottle when desired by merely flipping the cap up. 
     The decorative wrap  26  will be described shortly. Suffice it for now to state that it is designed to be disposed within the annular space  30  of the bottle assembly to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance for the bottle. To that end, as is conventional the sidewall of the outer vessel  22  is transparent or translucent or includes a portion or window which is transparent or translucent so that the decorative wrap  26  is visible through it. In accordance with one exemplary and preferred embodiment of this invention the inner and outer vessels are both formed of a transparent material. Any suitable transparent plastic material can be used. For example, Eastman Tritan™ copolyester sold by Eastman Chemical Company is one particularly desirable transparent material. 
     As is also conventional the decorated wrap  26  is formed of a thin flexible material, e.g., polyester film, which is curled or rolled up into a generally cylindrical shape so that it can be inserted into the annular space  30  and thus be visible through the sidewall of the outer vessel  22 . The wrap  26  is “decorative” in that it includes any type of decoration  34  on it. For example, the decoration may be in the form of any type of graphics printed or otherwise applied on the wrap so that the graphics are visible from the outer surface of the wrap. In the exemplary embodiment the decoration  32  is in the form of a graphic array composed of multiples of text bearing the name and trademark of the assignee of this invention. It should be pointed out at this juncture, that if the decoration is in the form of graphics, such graphics need not be printed on the outer surface of the wrap, but could be printed on its inner surface if the wrap is formed of a transparent, semitransparent or translucent to enable the graphics be visible through the wrap. Alternatively to having graphics on the wrap, or in addition to the inclusion of graphics on the wrap, the outer surface of the wrap may be in the form of an aesthetically pleasing textured, e.g., speckled, glittered, etc., surface. Further still, if desired, the wrap may include decoration  34  which is visible through the sidewall of the inner vessel, so that it can be seen when looking into the interior of the inner vessel. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the decorated wrap  26  is disposed within the annular space  30  of the bottle assembly, with its outer surface facing the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel. Thus, the decoration  32  will be visible through that sidewall. 
     Unlike conventional decorated wraps for decorating double walled vessels, the wrap  26  of this invention is constructed as shown in  FIG. 2  to include projecting tabs (to be described shortly) which cooperate with portions of the inner vessel to hold the wrap in place. In particular, those tabs are arranged to cooperate with stops located at the ends of channels or notches (also to be described shortly) on the inner vessel  24  to prevent the wrap from rotating around the central longitudinal axis  28  within the annular space  30 . Thus, the decoration of the wrap can be consistently positioned within a small tolerance in the annular space during the manufacturing process. This feature is of considerable importance in many applications, particularly if the decoration of the wrap doesn&#39;t extend about the full periphery of the vessel and is desired to be located at a particular position with respect to the periphery of the bottle assembly. For example, if the decoration on the wrap consists of a sport&#39;s team logo, mascot, etc., that is located only at one or plural positions on the wrap, and that logo is to be aligned or otherwise positioned at a desired location with respect to some portion of the bottle assembly  20 , e.g., the cap of the lid (not shown), the tabs and cooperating stops will prevent the wrap from rotating from that desired position. 
     As can best be seen in  FIG. 2  the upper edge  40  of the wrap  26  includes a pair of tabs  36 A and  36 B which project outward from that edge. The tabs are spaced from each other so that when the wrap is rolled up and inserted within the annular space  30  so that its side edges  42  abut, the tabs will be located almost diametrically opposite each other as can clearly be seen in  FIG. 10 . Moreover, before insertion of the wrap in the annular space  30  of the vessel  20 , both of its tabs  36 A and  38 A are bent out of the plane of the wrap  26  to extend at an acute angle as shown in  FIG. 9 . Thus, when the wrap is located within the annular space  30 , the free end  48  of each tab is located radially inward from the wrap and closer to the central longitudinal axis  28 . In particular, in the exemplary embodiment shown herein, the free end  48  of the angled tab  36 A is located within a notch or channel  44 A extending along a portion of the outer periphery of the top portion of the inner vessel  24 . The notch or channel  44 A extends for approximately one half of the periphery of the inner vessel where the notch or channel is located. One end of that notch or channel  44 A is in the form of a projection or stop  38 A, while the other end of the notch or channel is in the form of a projection or stop  38 B. As best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the free end  48  of the tab  36 A is located within the notch or channel  44 A immediately adjacent the stop  38 A. In a similar manner the free end  48  of the angled tab  36 B is also located within the notch or channel  44 A, but immediately adjacent the stop  38 B, as best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     When the wrap is so located the stop  38 A will prevent the wrap  26  from rotating about the central longitudinal axis  28  in the clockwise direction of  FIG. 10  by virtue of the angularly extending tab  36 A engaging that stop. In a similar manner the stop  38 B will prevent the wrap from rotating about central longitudinal axis  28  in the counterclockwise direction by virtue of the angularly extending tab  36 B engaging that stop. Accordingly, the wrap will be effectively locked in position in the annular recess. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the inner vessel includes a second notch or channel  44 B, constructed similarly to the notch or channel  44 A. The stop  38 A forms one end of the notch or channel  44 B and the stop  38 B forms the other end of the notch or channel  44 B. If desired, the decorated wrap  26  can be constructed and disposed within the annular space  30  so that its tabs  36 A and  36 B are located within the notch or channel  44 B, with the stops  38 A and  38 B acting in a similar manner to prevent rotation of the wrap about the central longitudinal axis  28 . 
     As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the channels  44 A and  44 B and their associated notches or channels need not be a portion of the inner vessel. Thus, it is contemplated that they can form a portion of the outer vessel so long as the tabs of the wrap can engage the stops to prevent rotation of the wrap about the central longitudinal axis of the bottle. Moreover, the tabs  36 A and  36 B need not be located along the top edge  40  of the wrap  26 . Thus, it is contemplated that the bottom edge  46  of the wrap may include the projections  36 A and  36 B. In such a case the notches/stops will be located on either the inner vessel or the outer vessel (as the case may be) adjacent to bottom of the bottle instead of being at the top like that described above. Further still, while the use of the notches or channels is preferred, it is contemplated that other arrangements can be used to receive respective tabs to serve as stops preventing the rotation of the wrap about the central longitudinal axis. 
     Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully illustrate our invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, adopt the same for use under various conditions of service.