Patent Publication Number: US-2003234059-A1

Title: Bottle with recess

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The invention relates to bottles. More particularly, it relates to a water cooler bottle that has a recess for storing a hose.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] Filtered water is generally preferred over tap water. Many people have filters for their faucets which remove impurities from tap water. However, these filters sometimes have slow throughput, so when someone is very thirsty they may not have the patience to wait for the filtered water. Furthermore, water coming from a faucet must generally be run for a few moments before it is cold, leading to a significant amount of wasted water.  
       [0003] Water coolers are also popular, in both offices and homes. Water coolers generally employ refillable bottles with a flat bottom and a neck with an opening therein on top. A full bottle is flipped upside down and the neck is inserted into the cooler. Once the water has been drained from the bottle, it is removed and replaced with another full bottle. This process involves repetitive lifting and inverting of full water cooler bottles, which may cause injuries to those doing the lifting. Furthermore, a supply of full bottles must be maintained.  
       [0004] Many attempts have been made over the years to address the demand for filtered water, and to minimize the inconvenience of having to replace bottles. An early example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,413, which provides a pump apparatus and a hose for refilling a water bottle atop a cooler with water from a source bottle on the ground. The inventor has noticed that systems such as this one are undesirable, since when not in use the hose will be in the user&#39;s way.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0005] The invention allows users to maximize the use of their water filters by providing apparatus and methods for directly filling a bottle from their water filters. The invention provides a bottle having a hose recess formed in an outer surface thereof, the hose recess configured to accommodate a hose used to refill the bottle with liquid.  
       [0006] The bottle may also have a refilling hole located at an upper portion of the bottle when the bottle is in use, and a plug configured to plug the refilling hole. A plug recess configured to accommodate the plug may be formed in the bottle.  
       [0007] A plurality of tabs may be located along edges of the hose recess and configured to prevent the hose from falling out of the hose recess. Alternately, a ridge may be located along edges of the hose recess and configured to prevent the hose from falling out of the hose recess.  
       [0008] The bottle may further comprise an adaptor configured to connect the hose to a filtered water source, and an adaptor recess configured to accommodate the adaptor. The hose may comprises an accordian-style hose or a telephone cord-style hose.  
       [0009] The bottle may further comprise a cap configured to cover a hole in a neck thereof, and a cap recess configured to accommodate the cap.  
       [0010] The invention also provides a method of refilling a bottle having a hose recess formed in an outer surface thereof, the hose recess configured to accommodate a hose used to refill the bottle with liquid, the method comprising: removing the hose from the hose recess; inserting a first end of the hose through a refilling hole in the bottle, the refilling hole located near an upper portion of the bottle when the bottle is in use; inserting an adaptor into a second end of the hose; connecting the adaptor to a liquid source; filling the bottle with liquid from the liquid source; removing the first end of the hose from the refilling hole; and, inserting a plug into the refilling hole. The method may further comprise the step of replacing the hose in the recess. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0011]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to one embodiment of the invention.  
     [0012]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view showing the water cooler bottle of FIG. 1 being refilled.  
     [0013]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to an alternate embodiment of the invention being refilled.  
     [0014]FIG. 4A depicts an accordian-style hose according to the invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 4B depicts a telephone cord-style hose according to the invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention.  
     [0017]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention.  
     [0018]FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention.  
     [0019]FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION  
     [0020] Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.  
     [0021]FIG. 1 shows bottle  10  according to the invention. Bottle  10  is provided with hose recess  12  formed in the outer surface thereof, which is configured to accommodate hose  14 . Hose  14  has a bottle end  16  and a filtered water source end  18 . Tabs  20  are preferably located along the edges of hose recess  12  to keep hose  14  in place. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the number and placement of tabs  20  may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. In the alternative, tabs  20  may be replaced by a continuous ridge (not shown) running along the edge of hose recess  12 .  
     [0022] Refilling hole  22  is located near an end of bottle  10  opposite the end where neck  13  is located. It is to be understood that refilling hole  22  is in an upper portion of bottle  10  when bottle  10  is in use in an inverted position, as shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, refilling hole  22  is located in hose recess  12  adjacent bottle end  16  of hose  14 . Refilling hole  22  has a diameter slightly larger than that of hose  14 , allowing bottle end  16  of hose  14  to be snugly (although not airtightly) inserted into refilling hole  22 . Plug  24  is used to plug refilling hole  22  when bottle  10  is not being refilled. The portion of recess  12  near refilling hole  22  is sized so that a user may easily insert and remove plug  24  and hose  14  from refilling hole  22 . Bottle  10  may comprise plug recess  26  configured to accommodate plug  24 . Tabs  20  are preferably located along the edges of plug recess  26  to keep plug  24  in place when plug  24  is not in use.  
     [0023] Bottle  10  is preferably provided with a cap  11  to cover the opening in neck  13  when bottle  10  is not in use. Bottle  10  may comprise cap recess  28  configured to accommodate cap  11 . Tabs  20  are preferably located along the edges of cap recess  28  to keep cap  11  in place when cap  11  is not in use. Bottle  10  may also comprise adaptor recess  30  configured to accommodate adaptor  32 . Tabs  20  are preferably located along the edges of adaptor recess  30  to keep adaptor  32  in place when adaptor  32  is not in use.  
     [0024] Adaptor  32  of the FIG. 1 embodiment is for use with a filtered water source  40  comprising a faucet  44  as shown in FIG. 2. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the structure of adaptor  32  will depend on the structure of filtered water source  40 . Adaptor  32  comprises hose insertion end  34  and filtered water source engaging end  36 . Sling  38  may be attached to filtered water source engaging end  36 . It is to be understood that the specific structure of adaptor  32  may be varied for use with different types of filtered water source  40  without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Adaptor  32  facilitates refilling of bottle  10 , as described below.  
     [0025]FIG. 2 shows bottle  10  being refilled from a filtered water source  40 . Bottle  10  is inverted and sits atop water cooler  42 . In the FIG. 2 embodiment, filtered water source  40  comprises faucet  44  supplied with filtered water by means of pipes  46  from water filter  48 .  
     [0026] To refill bottle  10 , a user removes hose  14  from recess  12  and removes plug  24  from refilling hole  22 . Plug  24  may be placed in plug recess  26 . Bottle end  16  of hose  14  is inserted through refilling hole  22 . Hose insertion end  34  of adaptor  32  is inserted into filtered water source end  18  of hose  14 . Filtered water source engaging end  36  of adaptor  32  is fitted over the end of faucet  44 . Sling  38  may be secured over the top of faucet  44 .  
     [0027]FIG. 3 shows a bottle  10  according to an alternate embodiment of the invention being refilled in the upright position. The FIG. 3 embodiment comprises an optional secondary refilling hole  21  located near the top of bottle  10  (near the neck). Secondary refilling hole  21 , as shown in the expanded circle in FIG. 3, is located in protrusion  23 , around which bottle end  16  of hose  14  fits tightly. Secondary plug  25  is used to plug secondary refilling hole  21 . Secondary plug recess  27  is configured to accommodate secondary plug  25 . Secondary refilling hole  21  could equally be located directly in the wall of bottle  10 , without protrusion  23 , and sized to snugly accept hose  14 .  
     [0028] Hose  14  is preferably flexible and extendible. Hose  14  may comprise an accordian-style hose, as shown in FIG. 4A. Hose  14  may also comprise a telephone cord-style hose, as shown in FIG. 4B. Of course, hose  14  may simply comprise a flexible plastic tube (not shown).  
     [0029] FIGS.  5  to  8  illustrate alternate embodiments of bottle  10 . The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has a square cross section. The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has a hexagonal cross section. Each embodiment shown in FIGS.  5  to  8  has a differently shaped recess  12 . The size and shape of bottle  10  and recess  12  may vary greatly without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
     [0030] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example, while the Figures show bottles with circular cross sections, any shape of bottle could be used. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.