Patent Publication Number: US-2004045973-A1

Title: Portable beverage container

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/236,719, filed Sep. 9, 2002. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The present invention relates to a portable beverage container.  
       [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0005] Portable beverage coolers and dispensers are well-known in the related art. These beverage coolers generally have an insulation capability, as well as being easy to hold and easy to drink from. There are also many cup holders and bases that are used with beverage coolers. These are also described in the related art.  
       [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,461 issued to Holzwarth et al., outlines a holder for cups and more particularly to a one-piece nestable holder for disposable flexible walled cups, generally made of paper, which are commonly used in the dispensing of potable liquids, ice cream and the like.  
       [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,795 issued to D&#39;Ercoli, outlines thin-walled, plastic cups or containers of the expendable kind for receiving hot or cold beverages, food and the like, and providing a reusable supporting holder for the cups or containers.  
       [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,023 issued to Jeff, relates to an insulated mug with a detachable flexible retainer that can function as both an insulated holder of a beverage can and as a normal drinking vessel.  
       [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,415 issued to Lombness, outlines a holder for keeping a can or bottle beverage container cold. The holder includes a cup-shaped base of an inside diameter sufficient to accommodate the outside diameter of the beverage container. A cylindrical upper portion is provided, having both ends open, one end being snap connectable to the base, and an inside diameter which matches the outside diameter of the beverage container.  
       [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,159 issued to Stokes, outlines an apparatus for chilling the contents of a beverage container, and for dispensing these contents through a faucet formed integrally to the apparatus. A further feature of the apparatus is that the beverage container is opened and fastened to the apparatus, so that the beverage can be dispensed upon demand by operating the faucet.  
       [0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes, also outlines an apparatus for chilling the contents of a beverage container, and for dispensing the contents through a faucet formed integrally to the apparatus. A further feature of the apparatus is that the beverage container is opened and fastened to the apparatus, so that the beverage can be dispensed upon demand by operating the faucet. Alternatively, the beverage container is supported by the apparatus so as to be easily and repeatedly removed from, and returned to the apparatus.  
       [0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,353 issued to Ward et al., outlines the use of a drinking cup device which includes a drinking cup having an open top and a base. A storage portion may be connected and disconnected from the base of the cup portion. A cylindrical shoulder on the cup portion base mates with an open top on the storage portion. A removable lid has an upper side and a lower side. The upper side of the lid receives either the cup portion base or the storage portion.  
       [0013] Although each of the outlined patents describe a useful invention, the invention outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes, is particularly useful. This invention and others like it, can be further improved by providing a portable beverage container that can quickly chill or heat the contents of the portable beverage container while keeping the outer layer of the portable beverage container at a comfortable ambient temperature for easy and comfortable handling.  
       [0014] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a base cover providing vacuum seal to beverage cooler and dispenser solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015] The invention is a portable beverage container, that can be used separately or in combination with a beverage heater and cooler unit. The portable beverage container includes a body defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner and liquid that can be set inside of the body of the container to hold liquids and the like. The body has a handle for easy grasping and also has a plurality of holes on the bottom perimeter that correspond to raised air passage channels formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner and the inner wall of the body, for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner.  
       [0016] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved portable beverage container with a thermally conductive inner liner and an insulating thermally conductive outer liner.  
       [0017] It is another object of the invention to provide an improved portable beverage container with a thermally conductive bottom that allows for thermal conductivity from a heating or cooling element.  
       [0018] It is a further object of the invention to allow for the heating and cooling of an improved portable beverage container while keeping the an insulating thermally conductive outer layer at a temperature that is easy for a user to handle.  
       [0019] It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
       [0020] These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0021]FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a portable beverage container used in combination with a heating-cooling element, according to the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a portable beverage container.  
     [0023]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 2 along line  3 - 3 , showing the bottom portion of the portable beverage container. 
    
    
     [0024] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0025] The present invention is a portable beverage container  10 , that can be used alone or in combination with a heating or cooling unit  20 , as shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0026] The portable beverage container  10  comprises a body  30  defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner  40  and liquid (not shown) that can be set inside of the body  30  of the portable beverage container  10  to hold liquids and the like, the body  30  also having a handle  50  for grasping. The body  30  also has a plurality of holes on the bottom perimeter  60  that correspond to raised air passage channels (not shown) formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner  40  and the inner wall of the body  30  for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner  40 . The generally cylindrical cup liner  40  has threads  70  protruding from the top of the cylindrical cup liner  40  to accommodate the inner threading  82  of a top cover  80  that can be twisted onto and off of the top of the cylindrical cup liner  40 . The top cover  80  has a spring-loaded dispenser aperture  84  to pour and distribute liquid from the inside of the generally cylindrical cup liner  40 . These features are depicted in FIG. 2, which also includes a twist on bottom cover  90 . attached to the bottom of the body  30 .  
     [0027] The portable beverage container  10  allows for the contents of the portable beverage container  10  to be heated sufficiently to brew coffee, tea or other similar heated beverages. The portable beverage container  10  protects a user from heat from the generally cylindrical cup liner  40 . The inner lining of the generally cylindrical cup liner  40  is made of thermally conductive material, such as aluminum or stainless steel, while the exterior body  30  is made of thermally resistive material, such as thermoplastic, which is well-known to those that are skilled in the related art. The inner lining of the generally cylindrical cup liner  40  can be heated or cooled easily, while the body  30  remains at a comfortable ambient temperature for the user. This is because the portable beverage container  10  body  30  is made of material that prevents the transfer and conduction of thermal energy from the generally cylindrical cup liner  40 .  
     [0028]FIG. 3 depicts a bottom cover  90  that can be twisted onto the bottom of the body  30  of the portable beverage container  10 , while allowing a user to align the plurality of holes  60  with the holes provided on the bottom cover  90 . When the bottom cover  90  is turned and positioned so that the plurality of holes  60  are not aligned with the holes provided on the bottom cover  90 , a vacuum seal is formed on the bottom of the body  30 . This arrangement is particularly useful to a user, because such an arrangement does not allow debris to accumulate in the holes of the bottom cover  90  or the plurality of holes  60  on the bottom of the body  30 . It should also be noted that the bottom cover  90  is also made of thermally conductive material, such as aluminum or stainless steel, so as to thermally conduct heat or cold up into the thermally conductive generally cylindrical cup liner  40  and its contents.  
     [0029] The portable beverage container  10  can accommodate a variety of other type of bottom covers  90 . The portable beverage container  10  can accommodate a solid bottom cover (not shown) with a twist-on bottom cap that can be twisted onto and off of the bottom of the body  30 . Similarly, the portable beverage container  10  can also accommodate a fitted snap-on bottom cap (not shown) for the bottom of the body  30  that can be twisted onto and off of or snapped off. by hand.  
     [0030] In summation, the portable beverage container  10  has a thermal conductive generally cylindrical cup liner  40  such as aluminum. The body  30  of the portable beverage container  10  is made of thermally resistive thermoplastic or similar material that will insulate a user from intense heat or cold while allowing the generally cylindrical cup liner  40  for thermal conduction. The bottom cover  90  is designed to seal off the plurality of holes  60  provided on the body  30  with a simple twist of the bottom cover  90 . The portable beverage container  10  is designed to conform readily a wide variety heating or cooling unit  20  bases, which secures and allows heating or cooling of the contents of the portable beverage container  10 .  
     [0031] The portable beverage container  10  is approximately 91 high and 4″ wide at its top diameter. The portable beverage container  10  and its components are durable and reusable and are dishwasher safe. The portable beverage container  10  can be also easily manipulated by the user by hand and can also operate with the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes.  
     [0032] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.