Abstract:
A container assembly stores a potable liquid and is adapted for storing a second consumable. The container assembly includes a primary container adapted for storing the potable liquid therein. The primary container includes a container top, a container bottom, and a container side. The container assembly also includes a cup defining a cup bottom, a cup side extending up from the cup bottom, and a cup lip removably engagable with the container side to seal the cup prior to use. The cup stores the second consumable between the cup side and the container side. The cup side defines a radius of curvature longitudinally from the cup bottom up toward the cup lip such that the cup side magnifies the second consumable stored therewithin as viewed from outside the cup.

Description:
BACKGROUND ART 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a container assembly for storing a potable liquid. More particularly, the invention relates to a container assembly for storing a potable liquid and a second consumable separate from the potable liquid. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    There are many instances when a person desires or is in need of a drink of water or some other type of beverage. Often times, it is also a desire of the person looking for a drink to want to consume another product at the same time. These products include, but are not limited to, aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, protein supplements, probiotics, salt tablets, and the like. At times, it is difficult to locate the proper product or the appropriate drink. In addition, there are several times where a person only desires a single dosage or serving of the other product and does not need or want to purchase a larger container of the product, e.g. a bottle of aspirin. This is often the case when someone is attending an event and requires only a single dosage and does not want to have to carry or properly store the remaining product. 
         [0005]    In other instances, a person may have trouble drinking from a bottle, especially if the person is feeling ill. A cup is easier to drink from than a bottle. 
         [0006]    And finally, a bottle is difficult storage device with which someone can share the drink with another. Having a secondary container facilitates the sharing of the liquid with another without the risk of passing anything between the two people that may cause an illness or infection in one or the other. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A container assembly stores a potable liquid and is adapted for storing a second consumable. The container assembly includes a primary container adapted for storing the potable liquid therein. The primary container includes a container top, a container bottom, and a container side. The container assembly also includes a cup defining a cup bottom, a cup side extending up from the cup bottom, and a cup lip removably engagable with the container side to seal the cup prior to use. The cup stores the second consumable between the cup side and the container side. The cup side defines a radius of curvature longitudinally from the cup bottom up toward the cup lip such that the cup side magnifies the second consumable stored therewithin as viewed from outside the cup. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of a primary container incorporated into the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the cup used in the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view taken along lines C-C of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a partially cutaway enlargement of area G of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an exploded side view of one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the container assembly is generally indicated at  10 . The profile of the container assembly  10  is similar to that of a traditional bottle used to retain a potable liquid such as water, soda, sports drink, vitamin drink and the like. The container assembly  10  includes a threaded opening  12  where the potable liquid is poured in and out thereof. A cap (not shown) is used to seal the threaded opening  12 . It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the threaded opening  12  could be replaced with a pull top or some other type of resealable opening allowing the person using the container assembly  10  to reseal the container assembly  10  as desired. 
         [0018]    The container assembly includes a primary container, generally shown at  14 , and a cup, generally shown at  16 . Disposed over a portion of the primary container  14  and a portion of the cup  16  is a shrink wrap cover  18 . This shrink wrap cover  18  helps seal the cup  16  to the primary container  14  and allows the manufacturers of the container assembly  10  the potable drink, or any other third party to identify and market this product. The shrink wrap cover  18  is designed to include perforations  20  to assist in the removal of the shrink wrap cover  18 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a side view of the primary container  14  is shown. The primary container includes a container top  22 , a container bottom  24  and a container side  26 . In the embodiment shown, the primary container  14  has a circular cross section. As such, there is only a single container side  26 . Designs of the primary container  14  may includes cross sections other than a circle and may include more than one container side  26 . The primary container  14  defines an interior into which the portable liquid  28  is stored. There is only a single opening in the primary container  14  and that is the threaded opening  12  of the container assembly  10 . 
         [0020]    The container top  22  of the primary container  14  includes a seating surface  30 . The seating surface  30  will receive the cup  16  and will be discussed in greater detail subsequently. Between the container top  22  and the container side  26  are a pair of ring flanges  32 ,  34 . These ring flanges  32 ,  34  define a peripheral channel  36 . The ring flanges  32 ,  34  and the peripheral channel  36  are used for structural support between the container top  22  and the container side  26 . The ring flanges  32 ,  34  provide the necessary rigidity for the proper seating and sealing between the primary container  14  and the cup  16 . 
         [0021]    The peripheral channel  36  defines a cross-sectional plane above which the primary container  14  includes an upper portion  38  and below which is a lower portion  40 . While the interior of the primary container  14  is a singular space, the upper portion  38  and lower portion  40  are visually different in that the upper portion  38  defines an upper diameter  42  and the lower portion  40  defines a lower diameter  44  such that each of the upper  42  and lower  44  diameters differ from one another. In particular, the lower diameter  44  is less than the upper diameter  42 . This allows the lower portion  40  of the primary container  14  to be covered by a cup  16 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a chamfered neck  46  extends between the lower ring flange  34  and a portion of the container side  26  that defines the lower diameter  44 . As discussed herein, the chamfered neck  46  is a part of the container side  26 , although they may be different structurally in other embodiments. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , the cup  16  is shown in greater detail. The cup  16  defines a cup bottom  48 . The cup bottom  48  may be flat or, as shown in the Figures, may have indentations formed therein to facilitate the manufacture and packaging thereof. As may be seen in  FIG. 3 , the cup bottom  48  includes an indentation commonly referred to as a registration slug  50  defining a positioning wall  52  that allows the automation of the manufacture of the cup  16  and the container assembly  10  by knowing the exact orientation of the container assembly  10  so that the cup  16  designs, shrink wrap and second consumables  66  (discussed subsequently) are properly orientated during assembly. 
         [0023]    The cup  16  also includes a cup side  54  that extends from the cup bottom  48  up to a lip  56 . The lip  56  is designed to engage and seat on the seating surface  30  of the primary container  14 . The lip  56  is designed to ensure the cup  16  is secured to the primary container  14  and provides strength to the cup side  54  such that the cup side  54  will not readily collapse during the use of the cup  16  and/or the primary container  14 . The cup  16  defines a cup diameter  58  which is greater than the lower diameter  44  of the primary container  14  allowing the lower portion  40  of the primary container  14  to be inserted into the cup  16 . As shown in the Figures, the cup diameter  58  approximates the upper diameter of the upper portion  38  such that the lip  56  will frictionally fit onto the seating surface  30  creating a seal between the cup  16  and the primary container  14 . 
         [0024]    The cup side  54  includes an interior cup surface  60  and an exterior cup surface  62 . The radii of curvature for each of the interior  60  and exterior  62  cup surfaces differ from one another. As shown in the Figures, the interior cup surface  60  has a radius of curvature that approaches infinity, i.e. it is flat, whereas the exterior cup surface  62  has a finite radius of curvature. As such, the exterior cup surface  62  extends through a curved plane with reference to its longitudinal orientation. More specifically, the exterior cup surface  62  is defined by two radii of curvature: the first being the cross-sectional radius of the cup  16  itself and the second oriented perpendicular to the first radius of curvature defining a second radius of curvature that extends longitudinally between the cup bottom  48  and the lip  56 . 
         [0025]    It is the second radius of curvature in the exterior cup surface  62  with respect to the flat interior cup surface  60  that allows the cup side  54  to define a magnification of the contents of the cup  16 . It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the radii of curvature of the two cup surfaces  60 ,  62  may differ, but the overall relationship therebetween would create a magnification. In the preferred embodiment, the magnification created by the cup side  54  is two times. 
         [0026]    The cup  16  includes a retainer  64  that extends up from the cup bottom  48 . The retainer  64  retains a second consumable  66  (best seen in  FIG. 6 ) within the cup  16  up against the cup side  54 . The retainer  64  defines a length that is shorter than the length of the cup side  54 . The retainer  64  is curved similar to the cup side  54 . Therefore, the retainer  64  complements the cup side  54 . In the embodiment shown, the retainer  64  extends through an arc of a circle because the cup  16  is cylindrical. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the retainer  64  would extend up from the cup bottom  48  in a manner similar to the shape of the cup side  54 . Therefore, the retainer  64  would be flat should the cup  16  define a square or rectangular shape. 
         [0027]    The retainer  64  includes retention flanges  68 . The retention flanges  68  extend out from the retainer  64  perpendicularly thereto. The retention flanges  68  extend out therefrom toward the cup side  54 . The retention flanges  68  assist in the retention of the second consumable  66  against the cup side  54 . 
         [0028]    The second consumable  66  is shown in package form in  FIG. 6 . The package would be a single dosage of whatever the consumable is. For example, if the second consumable  66  is medicine, the second consumable  66  would be packaged in a form commonly referred to as a “two pack.” If the second consumable  66  were a supplement, the package for the second consumable  66  would be designed to provide a single serving that is commensurate with the amount of potable liquid in the primary container  14 . As such, the person using the container assembly  10  may dispose immediately of the packaging of the second consumable  66  once it is consumed or mixed with the potable liquid in the cup  16 . 
         [0029]    The method for manufacturing the container assembly  10  includes the step of filling the primary container  14  with a potable liquid through the threaded opening  12 . The primary container  14  is then sealed. The second consumable  66  is inserted into the cup  16 . The second consumable  16  is positioned between the cup side  54  and the retainer  66 . In one embodiment, the insertion of the second consumable  66  into the cup  16  includes blowing the second consumable  66  therein. 
         [0030]    Once the second consumable  66  is positioned within the cup  16  adjacent the retainer  64 , the cup  16  is secured to the primary container  14  such that the second consumable  66  is disposed between the primary container  14  and, more specifically, the container side  26 , and the cup  16 . By having the second consumable  66  disposed between the container side  26  and the cup side  54  (with the assistance of the retainer  64 ), the second consumable  66  is readily viewable and identifiable for purposes of selection, purchase and, eventually, consumption by having the second consumable adjacent the cup side  54  and magnified making its ability to be viewed even greater. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an alternative embodiment is shown wherein like elements are shown offset by  110 . This embodiment is shown to illustrate how the lower portion  140  of the primary container  114  defines a cross-sectional shape other than a circle, as is shown in the preferred embodiment. In the alternative embodiment, the cross-sectional shape defined by the lower portion  140  is that of a triangle having three sides  170 ,  172 ,  174  with rounded corners  176 ,  178 ,  180 . It should be appreciated that upper portion  138 , the lower portion  140  and the cup (not shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) may extend through any cross-sectional area without deviating from the invention disclosed herein. 
         [0032]    The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
         [0033]    Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.