Patent Publication Number: US-8113378-B2

Title: Drinking vessel

Description:
The present invention is concerned with a drinking vessel having a drinking opening bordered by a vessel rim, on which a receptacle element is held so as to be pivotable about a pivot shaft, the receptacle element being displaceable from a first position, in which it is situated in the region of the drinking opening, partially covering the same, into a second position in which it is situated away from the drinking opening. 
     In the case of beverages to which certain ingredients must be added more or less immediately prior to their consumption, such as in particular the so-called Feuerzangenbowle (“fire-tongs punch”), where a sugar cone that has been drenched in rum slowly burns above the liquid surface and drips into the drink, it has proven disadvantageous to prepare large quantities in advance, since the flavor and aroma noticeably diminish over time. 
     From DE 1 902 149 and DE 20 2004 015686, holders that rest atop drinking vessels are known, onto which, for example, a sugar cube may be placed for preparing a “fire-tongs punch”. Its manipulation is cumbersome and it is prone to dirtying. 
     It is the object of the present invention to provide a drinking vessel that makes it possible to prepare smaller quantities of a beverage in a simple manner immediately prior to its consumption. 
     This object is met according to the invention in a drinking vessel of the generic type through the measure that the receptacle element is rigidly connected to a pivot element that is supported about the pivot shaft, as the result of which it is supported firmly and so as to be pivotable only about the pivot shaft. 
     Provision may be made for the pivot element to be formed by a continuous bearing shaft or also by two spaced-apart aligned bearing pins that face each other. 
     In a first embodiment, provision is made for the pivot shaft to be situated in a plane defined by or parallel to the drinking opening. 
     In another embodiment, provision is made for the pivot shaft to be perpendicular to a plane defined by the drinking opening. 
     Provision may be made for the receptacle element to extend crosswise to the pivot shaft on both sides and to form a receptacle section and an actuation section. 
     The receptacle element or receptacle section may be designed flat. 
     The receptacle element or receptacle section may be designed oblong and dish-like. 
     In particular, provision may be made for the receptacle element and receptacle section to be designed oblong and V-shaped or tub-shaped in cross-section. 
     Provision is advantageously made for the receptacle element or receptacle section to have openings. 
     Provision may be made for the pivot shaft to extend in the region of a handle or through a handle of the drinking vessel. 
     In the first position, the receptacle element or receptacle section may be disposed in or parallel to a plane defined by the drinking opening. 
     In the second position, the receptacle element or receptacle section may be situated in a region between a plane defined by the drinking opening and a bottom of the drinking vessel. Provision may be made in this context that the receptacle element or receptacle section in its second position rests against a wall of the drinking vessel. 
     In one embodiment, provision may be made for the receptacle element or receptacle section in its first position to rest with an end section on the vessel rim opposite the pivot shaft. In this case the option exists for the pivot shaft to be arranged on an intermediate-lever which, in turn, is held so as to be pivotable on the drinking vessel. Alternatively to an intermediate lever, the receptacle element may have an elongated hole formed in it, which, with the pivot shaft, forms a displaceable and pivotable mounting means for the receptacle element. 
     Additionally, the option exists that the receptacle element is held on the drinking vessel by means of a ball-and-socket joint. 
     The invention provides as a preferred variant that the receptacle element is automatically held in its first position by means of a snap-in means that acts particularly in a form-fitting manner. 
     Alternatively to a snap-in means, provision could be made that the pivot movement of the receptacle element is stiff (high degree of friction), so that, again, an automatic locking in a desired position, particularly in the first position, is ensured. 
     Alternatively to a snap-in means, provision could be made that the receptacle element can be locked in the first position with the aid of a locking means and can be moved into the second position after releasing the locking means. 
     In either case, it may be advantageous if a spring means is provided that acts between the drinking vessel and receptacle element and which pre-stresses the receptacle element in the direction toward the first or second position. 
     The invention additionally relates to a receptacle element having a mounting means pivotably connected to it for mounting to a drinking vessel, whereby an inventive drinking vessel is created. The mounting means may be attachable to a handle or to the vessel rim, and it may preferably be designed as a clamp-type attachment and/or U-shaped. The receptacle element may be designed as explained above and the pivotable connection may also be designed as explained above. 
    
    
     
       Additional advantages and characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments, with reference being made to a drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an inventive drinking vessel, the receptacle element being situated in the second position, 
         FIG. 2  shows the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 , the receptacle element being situated in the first position, 
         FIG. 3  shows the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1  in a longitudinal sectional view, 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  show a second embodiment, and 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  show a third embodiment. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of an inventive drinking vessel, which is designed in the form of a mug  2  having a handle  4 , with a drinking opening  8  bordered by a circular vessel opening or mug opening  6 . 
     An altogether approximately U-shaped mounting piece  10  hooks around an upper, horizontal handle section  4   a  from underneath and extends inward with elongated leg regions  10   a  beyond the mug rim  6 . Fixed to the free ends of the leg regions  10   a  is a pivot shaft  12 , which is parallel to the plane of the drinking opening  8  and horizontal when the mug  2  is placed upon a horizontal surface. The pivot shaft  12  is designed either continuous or it consists of two aligned bearing pins facing toward or away from each other, each of them having a free end, that form a pivot element. Conversely, a pivot element could be provided with one or two bearing bores that is/are held so as to be pivotable on a stationary bearing shaft or on two bearing pins, wherein in either case the pivot element is pivotable (only) about a shaft that is stationary relative to the drinking vessel and the receptacle element is rigidly connected to the pivot element. 
     The pivot shaft  12  has a receptacle element  14  pivotably held on it that incorporates a receptacle section  16  and an actuation section  18 . In a first position, which is depicted in  FIG. 2 , the receptacle section  16  is situated in the region of the drinking opening  8 , partially covering the same, while the actuation section  18  is situated in the region of the upper handle section  4   a . In a second position, which is shown in  FIG. 1 , and which is pivoted by nearly 90 degrees relative to the first position, the receptacle section  16  rests against the inside wall of the mug  2 , while the actuation section  18  is oriented upward. 
     The receptacle section  16  is designed arched or tub-like crosswise to its longitudinal direction, i.e., viewed in the direction of the pivot shaft  12 , and has a series of perforations or openings  20 . Alternatively, the receptacle section could also be designed V-shaped or also flat. 
     In an alternative embodiment, which is not depicted here, provision could be made that the pivot shaft is arranged perpendicular to the orientation depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 3  (and perpendicular to the plane of the drinking opening), so that the receptacle element is substantially pivotable in the plane of the drinking opening  8  or parallel thereto. 
     The receptacle section  16  may lie substantially in one plane with the actuation section  18 , as depicted, or the actuation section  18  may be bent at an angle relative to the receptacle section  16 , for example by 45° or 90°. Alternatively, the actuation section could be eliminated altogether. 
     A means is advantageously provided to lock the receptacle element  14  in the first position depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In the simplest manner, the pivot shaft  12  could be designed stiffly moving for this purpose, so that the receptacle element is held in its given pivoted position by friction forces alone. It is also possible to have a locking means that holds the receptacle element in the first position. For example, the actuation section  18  could snap into place in a form-fitting manner between the leg regions  10   a  of the mounting element  10  in the first position. 
     In a variant, the pivot shaft  12 , instead of being rigidly fixed to the mug  2 , may be hinged to an intermediate lever which, in turn, is held so as to be pivotable, for example, in a lower region  4   b  of the handle  4 . The intermediate lever would then extend approximately between the lower region of the handle and the position of the pivot shaft (corresponding to 12) depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , and allow the pivot shaft  12  to be displaced by a relative short distance substantially horizontally, i.e., in the plane of the drinking opening  8 . This would allow the receptacle element  14  to rest, in the first position, on the mug rim opposite the pivot shaft. For transferring into the second position, the pivot shaft of the receptacle element could then be moved back, i.e., in a direction away from the mug, until the receptacle element no longer rests on the mug rim and can be folded into the second position. 
     Alternatively to an intermediate lever, an elongated hole may be provided in the receptacle element that cooperates with the pivot shaft  12  and, in the first position, allows for a displacement in the plane or parallel to the plane of the drinking opening  8 , so that the frontal end of the receptacle element or receptacle section situated away from the pivot shaft can rest on the mug rim opposite the pivot shaft in the first position, and can be moved back for transferring into the second section. 
     An additional means may be provided to secure the receptacle element in its second position, for example an additional snap-in means or a spring that pre-stresses the receptacle element in the direction toward the second position. 
     The mounting element  10  may be designed removable from the mug or from the handle section  4   a , so that an existing mug can be retrofitted with a pivotable receptacle element without difficulty, and/or the same can be removed from it. 
     In a modification, a hinge or mechanical joint that holds the “fire tongs” is mechanically connected to the cup. The “fire tongs” may be used to hold two sugar cubes, for example. After the sugar has burnt down, the “tongs” fold into the mug (capacity 0.2 liters, for example), without interfering with the consumption. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show an embodiment in which a receptacle element  14  is designed as a wire yoke with a receptacle section  16  and an actuation section  18 , each consisting of a wire section that is bent into U-shape. Provided on legs  18   a  of the actuation section  18  are end sections, which are not shown in detail, that are bent at an angle and engage into bearing recesses  24  of the mug  2 , acting as bearing pins and defining a pivot shaft  12 . Because of the elasticity of the actuation section  18 , they and the receptacle element  14  are easy to insert into and remove from the mug  2 . 
     The grip or handle  4  of the mug  2  is provided on one side or on both sides with a snap-in groove  26  (in each case), into which one or both legs  18   a  of the actuation section  18  lock in the first position ( FIG. 4 ), thus securing the receptacle element  14  in this position. After preparation of the beverage has been completed, the receptacle element can be pivoted with one finger under surmounting of the spring effect of the legs  18   a  into the second position shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show a similar embodiment as  FIGS. 4 and 5 , with only the snap-in groove  26  having been replaced by one or two locking projections  28 , over which the actuation section  18  needs to be moved under surmounting of its elastic spring tension, to reach the first or second position. The locking projections  28  may be designed hemispherical, for example.