Patent Publication Number: US-2023135732-A1

Title: Portable drinking device

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to portable drinking devices, particularly drinking devices that allow a user to quickly consume a beverage which may be contained in a pressurized can and a method for using the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     “Shotgunning” is a well-known method of quickly consuming a beverage from a pressurized can by punching a hole in the side of the can. In that method, the pressurized can is usually held in a horizontal direction and tilted slightly. A small hole is punched in the side of the can close to the bottom, ideally puncturing the can in the air pocket which results from the slight tilt of the can. The hole can be made with any sharp object such as a key, bottle opener, pen, knife, or the like. After the hole is punched, the user then places his or her mouth over the hole while rotating the can to an upright position. The user then pulls the tab on the can and the pressurized liquid quickly drains through the hole into the user&#39;s mouth. 
     U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2009/0120968 A1 discloses a device having multiple purposes, including serving as a fast pour beverage tap. That tubular device contains a piercing end at one end and a mouthpiece on the other. The piercing end is designed to puncture a pressurized can or bottle and remain in the can or bottle. After puncturing, the mouthpiece end is inserted into a user&#39;s mouth and the tab on the can is pulled causing a high-speed gravity release of liquid. The tubular device may also be used as a smoking apparatus. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,361 discloses a more sophisticated device described as an electronic fluid dispensing apparatus having a tube with a funnel connected at one end and a differential pressure sensor at the other. An additional tube is attached to the first tube in the vicinity of the sensor. When a fluid is poured into the funnel, it passes through the tube and, by way of the sensor, the flow of fluid through the additional tube is controlled. 
     Consumption of beverages by such methods and using such devices has been prevalent primarily among college students and young adults as an alternative method of consuming beverages quickly and, in several instances, as part of a drinking game. Some traditional shotgunning methods and the above known devices usually result in the aeration of the beverage, causing more foam and bubbles than is desired. In addition, a certain amount of spillage still occurs after the tab on the can is pulled because the pressure at which the fluid flows out of the can through the location of the puncture is very high. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 10,058,203, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, discloses a portable drinking device that can fit over a pressurized beverage can to direct flow of fluid from the can to the recipient&#39;s mouth. After the device is positioned over the open top of a can and the end of the can is tilted sideways, the can may be punctured with a piercing device that is attached to the drinking device with a rope-like element to release the contents of the can into the user&#39;s mouth. The disclosed device is an improvement over previous devices for several reasons. However, the piercing element may freely dangle from the device. Moreover, if the rope-like element breaks, the piercing device is likely to be lost. 
     The portable drinking device of the present patent document provides a simple and portable drinking device which addresses, or at least mitigates, one or more of the problems associated with known devices and methods. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present patent document discloses a simple and portable drinking device that is capable of fitting over a typical pressurized beverage can to direct the flow of fluid from the can to a recipient or user&#39;s mouth. Once the pressurized can is opened, the portable drinking device may be positioned over the open top of the can and the entire assembly may be slightly tilted sideways. A piercing device, which is stored in a storage area formed in a funnel-like cap of the portable drinking device, is used to puncture a whole in the side of the can after the drinking device and can are tilted sideways. Either just before or immediately after the can is pierced, the entire assembly is positioned so that the portable drinking device directs a rapid stream of fluid from the punctured can through the tube of the portable drinking device and into a user&#39;s mouth. 
     This portable drinking device allows a known quantity of fluid to flow freely while eliminating a substantial amount of aeration and the foam by-product often associated with some prior devices. The portable drinking device may also include a storage space for the piercing device so that it does not dangle from the drinking device when not in use. 
     Further aspects, objects, desirable features, and advantages of the various inventions that are the subject of the present disclosure will become manifest and be better understood from the following description considered in connection with accompanying drawings in which various embodiments of the disclosed inventions are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of any of the disclosed inventions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a left-front perspective view of an embodiment of a portable drinking device of the present patent document mounted on a typical beverage can. 
         FIG.  2    is front view of the portable drinking device of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a left side view of the portable drinking device of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a top view of the portable drinking device of  FIG.  1    of the present invention with the piercing element removably stored in a storage area of the device. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-section though the portable drinking device taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG.  4   . 
         FIG.  6    is an enlarged view of the area shown in  FIG.  5    that is circled with a  6 . 
         FIG.  7    is an enlarged view of the area shown in  FIG.  5    that is circled with a  7 . 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  in  FIG.  5    through the piercing element and storage area. 
         FIG.  9    is a side view of the portable drinking device of the present patent document mounted on a pressurized can with the user tilting the entire assembly and having removed the piercing element of the portable drinking device from its storage slot and positioning the piercing element to puncture a sidewall of the can. Either just before or immediately after the sidewall of the can is pierced with the piercing element, the entire assembly may be further tilted to position the tube of the portable drinking device to direct the flow of fluid from the can through the portable drinking device into a recipient&#39;s mouth. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A better understanding of different embodiments of the disclosure may be had from the following description read with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements. 
     While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments are in the drawings and are described below. The dimensions, angles, and curvatures represented in the figures introduced above are to be understood as exemplary and are not necessarily shown in proportion. The embodiments of the disclosure are adapted for a can or similar beverage container, and may be dimensioned to accommodate different types, shapes, and sizes of the same. 
     It should be understood, however, there is no intention to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention covers all modifications, alternative constructions, combinations, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     A portable drinking device according to one embodiment of the present patent document is depicted in  FIGS.  1 - 9   . The portable drinking device  10  includes a tube  20  which has affixed at one end a generally rounded funnel-like cap  30 . Cap  30  may be formed to include a storage area  40  that includes a receiving slot  42  that is sized to removably receive a portion of a piercing element  50 . The receiving slot is preferably configured to form an interference fit with the portion of the piercing element that it is designed to receive. In the present embodiment, the piercing element  50  is shown as a key, and the receiving slot is configured to receive the shaft  52  of the key. In other embodiments the piercing element could be a bottle opener, pen, knife or other like object, that may be stowed in a suitably sized and shaped receiving slot  42  of storage area  40 . In another aspect, while depicted in the illustrated embodiments as forming part of the cap  30 , the storage area  40  and the receiving slot  42  may be provided on the tube  20 . 
     While depicted in the illustrated embodiments as a rectangular recess having a single opening, the receiving slot  42  is not limited thereto. As indicated above, the receiving slot  42  may be sized and shaped according to the piercing element provided and/or additional considerations. For example, the receiving slot  42  may have a single opening or multiple openings, for example forming an elongate channel with an opening at a first end and an opposite second end. A receiving slot  42  having a circular profile or a profile that transitions from rectangular to circular are also contemplated. Further shapes, orientations, and configurations for suitably storing a piercing element are conceived, as would be understood by one skilled in the art from the teachings of the current disclosure. 
       FIG.  4    is a top view of the portable drinking device  10 , showing that tube  20  preferably has a diameter that is uniform throughout. In the preferred embodiment, tube  20  has a diameter of approximately 1 to 2 inches with a wall thickness of about 0.1 inch±0.05 inch. Tube  20  may have a length ranging from approximately 6 to 14 inches, and more preferably a length of approximately 7 to 8 inches. Tube  20  may be fabricated from a variety of food grade polymer materials having a degree of flexibility, such as polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), silicone, nylon or other like materials. In one embodiment it may be made from a clear PVC material. According to alternative embodiments, the tube  20  may have a varying diameter along its length, for example a diameter that increases or decreases away from the cap  30 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5   , the distal end of tube  20  is received in a proximal end  32  of a rounded funnel-like cap  30 . As best seen in  FIG.  6   , the distal end of tube  20  is received in the proximal end  32  of cap  30  until the tube is stopped by annular shoulder  34  which is formed on the inner wall of the funnel-like cap  30  at a desired location. Cap  30  may be fabricated from any suitable food grade polymer having sufficient flexibility to removably receive and form a seal around can  100  at its distal end and can be suitably attached to tube  20  at its proximal end. Generally, the cap  30  will have a higher Durometer hardness than that of tube  20 . A number of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are particularly well suited for fabricating cap  30  as they have both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties and are relatively easy to injection mold. 
     In varying embodiments, the inner diameter of the proximal end  32  of cap  30  in the area in which it is attached to tube  20  may be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of tube  20  so that an interference fit is created between the tube  20  and the inner surface  34  of the proximal end  32  of cap  30 . This will allow tube  20  to be periodically removed from cap  30  for enhanced cleaning. Shoulder  34  may be located approximately 0.75 to 1.0 inches from the mouth at the proximal end  32  of cap  30  to help ensure that the interference fit is sufficiently strong that cap  30  does not become easily dislodged from tube  20  during use. Moreover, the interference fit preferably increases gradually from the mouth of cap  30  to shoulder  34 . For example, the interference fit between the tube  20  and cap  30  may be in the range of 5 to 7 mils at the mouth of cap  30  and 18 to 22 mils proximate the shoulder  24 , and midway between these two locations, the interference fit may be in the range of 7 to 10 mils. 
     Increasing the interference between the tube  20  and inner wall of cap  30  the further that tube  20  is inserted into cap  30  is beneficial because it allows tube  20  to be easily inserted into the mouth portion of the cap—which has the thinnest cross-sectional wall thickness as shown in  FIG.  6   —without damaging the mouth of cap  30  while also increasing the interference fit the further the tube is inserted into cap  30  until it reaches shoulder  34 . 
     As an alternative to employing an interference fit as described above, in other embodiments, other techniques for affixing tube  20  to cap  30  may be used, including the use of adhesives or plastic welding. 
     As readily seen in  FIGS.  1 - 5   , cap  30  is a generally rounded funnel-like structure in which the diameter of the cap  30  at its distal end  80  is greater than the diameter of proximal end  32  which is attached to the tube  20 . The diameter of the distal end  80  is sized to fit over the top of one or more sizes of pressurized beverage cans  100 , such as a standard 12 oz. beverage can, the top lip  102  of which typically has an outer diameter of approximately 2.1 inches. The distal end  80  of cap  30  is preferably configured, as best seen in  FIGS.  5  and  7   , so that an inner surface of lip  82  forms an interference fit with the outer surface of can  100  so as to create a temporary seal around the top of can  100 , including lip  102 , when the portable drinking device  10  and can  100  are assembled. The inner wall of lip  82  preferably includes an annular recess  86  sized to form an interference fit with lip  102  of can  100 . On the distal side of annular recess  85 , a protrusion  84  is formed to form a snap seal with the distal edge of lip  102  of can  100 . Because cap  30  is made from a suitable elastomeric material, however, can  100  can be readily removed after being inserted into the distal end of cap  30 , for example, after the contents of can  30  have been emptied. 
       FIGS.  1 - 5    illustrate the portable drinking device  10  of the present disclosure after it has already been assembled with a pressurized can  100 . As described in more detail below, the piercing element  50  may be removably stored in a storage area  40  formed in the outer wall of cap  30 . In addition, if desired, piercing element may be attached to cap  30  with a string or other tethering element, for example, by wrapping one end of the tethering element around tube  20  where it meets cap  30  and attaching the other end of the tethering element to piercing element  50 , such as by passing it through hole  56 . Alternatively, to wrapping one end of the tethering element around tube  20  where it meets cap  30 , an eyelet could be molded into cap  30 , into the storage area  40 , or into the tube  20  to allow one end of the tethering element to be anchored thereto. In like manner, the tethering element may be secured to the piercing element  50  by another means, such as by an adhesive or the like, rather than requiring a hole  56  in the piercing element. While a tethering element is not required with the portable drinking device  10  of the present patent document in view of storage area  40 , the optional inclusion of such a tethering device may provide added security against the unintended loss of piercing element  50 . 
       FIG.  9    shows the portable drinking device  10 , with the piercing element  50  removed from its storage area  40 . As set forth above, the distal end  80  of cap  30  has the dimensions necessary to allow it to sit on top of the pressurized can  100  and completely cover the top of the can. Cap  30  may also have lip  82  formed on its distal end  80  the inner surface of which mates with the lip  102  on the top of can  100  as described above and as best seen in  FIGS.  5  and  7   . Cap  30  may be held in place on top of can  100  either by the user&#39;s hands and/or by lip  82  formed at the distal end  80  of cap  30  to mate with the lip  102  of can  100 . 
     Prior to assembly of the portable drinking device on to the top of can  100 , can  100  should be opened by either pulling the tab or using a device, such as a can opener, to open the can. Once pressurized can  100  has been opened, the portable drinking device  10  may be placed over the top of can  100 , as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5   , for use. 
       FIG.  9    further illustrate how the assembly of  FIGS.  1 - 5    may be used. The entire assembly may be tilted slightly towards the user, with the tube  20  either close to or in the mouth of the user, and the bottom of can  100  located away from the user. While the assembly is in the slightly titled position, the piercing element  50  may be used to pierce or punch a hole into the distal end of the top face of can  100  (in the tilted position) to vent the contents of the can  100  to atmospheric pressure and allow the contents of can  100  to flow more readily into the user&#39;s mouth. In the embodiment shown, piercing element  50  is a key, which includes a shaft  52  with a pointed tip  54 . The key  50  may be made from suitable metal, such as aluminum, or a hard plastic material. 
     Depending on the user&#39;s preference, the hole may be formed in the side of can  100  with the piercing element, either (i) just before the entire assembly is further tilted from the position shown in  FIG.  9    so that the entire contents of the beverage contained in can  100  can rapidly flow through cap  30  and tube  20  into the user&#39;s mouth, or (ii) after the entire assembly is further tilted from the position shown in  FIG.  9    so that the contents of the beverage contained in can  100  begin to flow through cap  30  and tube  20  into the user&#39;s mouth and a vacuum begins to form within can  100 . In the latter, after a vacuum begins to form, the user may then use the piercing element  50  to form a hole in the side of the can  100  and release the vacuum in the can, thereby causing its contents to flow more rapidly into the user&#39;s mouth. 
     Although the beverage contained in the can  100  is usually carbonated, because of the rapid flow from the can  100  through the portable drinking device  10  and the relatively small hole created by piercing device  50  in can  100 , minimal aeration and foam by-product from the carbonated beverage occurs. 
     As best seen in  FIGS.  1 - 5  and  8   , a portable drinking device may include a storage area  40  molded into the cap  30 . Storage area  40  includes a receiving slot  42  that is sized to removably receive a portion of the piercing element  50 . In the illustrated embodiment receiving slot  42  is sized to form an interference fit with the shaft  52  of key  50 . In other embodiments, a different piercing device may be used and receiving slot  42  will need to be configured appropriately to removably retain the receiving device in the storage area  40  of cap  30 . As best seen in  FIG.  8   , the interference fit in the present embodiment is created by two pairs of opposing protruding members  44  contained within receiving slot  42 . 
     While shown in the illustrated embodiment as a receiving slot  42  having an open end, alternative arrangements are contemplated and form part of the current disclosure. For example, the receiving slot  42  may be configured to include a closeable portion, such as in the form of a strap or flap for enclosing all or a part of the piercing element  50  therein. 
     The present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. While certain embodiments and details have been included herein and in the attached disclosure for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the methods, products, devices, and apparatus disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure or of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.