Abstract:
A portable beverage container holder having a straw retainer. The beverage container is secured to an adjustable elastic armband that removably secures to a user&#39;s upper arm. A beverage container is included that fits snuggly within the beverage container holder. The container has a removable lid and a flexible straw that extends through the lid so that one end is enclosed within the beverage container and the upper end is exposed to the outside air. A straw-retainer is disposed along the exterior of the beverage container holder and removably retains a flexible straw in a pre-positioned orientation. This allows users to drink from the beverage container without using their hands to hold or position the straw.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/568,278 filed on Dec. 8, 2011, Entitled “Arm Liquid Holder. The patent application identified above is incorporated here by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a beverage container holder that is removably securable to a person&#39;s upper arm. The armband holds a beverage container in a position that provides easy access to a user. A straw retaining loop on the side of the armband holds the straw at a desired position so that a user may drink without the use of his or her hands. This will be appreciated by sports enthusiasts, runners, hikers, and participants in any activity that would make it difficult for a user to hold a beverage container while engaging in the activity. 
         [0004]    Hydration is an important part of staying healthy while engaging in sports and physical activities. The human body requires regular intake of water in order to keep both internal and external parts of the body cool during times of intense physical exercise. When a dehydrated person participates in physical exertion, he can becomes nauseous, dizzy, experience weakness in the limbs, fainting, or even long-term injury to internal organs. Many athletes are aware of the need for proper hydration and take steps to ensure that they drink plenty of water before and during activities. 
         [0005]    Drinking water prior to playing a sport is generally fairly simple, but staying hydrated while on the move can present tricky logistical problems. This is because many physical activities involve travelling over a distance, on open water or through mountains and woods, making it difficult to stop and pick up a beverage when the participant gets thirsty. To solve this problem people often carry bottles of water or sports drink with them in a backpack or on a waist belt. For hikers, runners and others who have free movement of their hands and the ability to carry storage means, this is solution addresses the need for easily accessible water. But for those who participate in sports that require the constant use of one or both hands, it may be extremely difficult to fumble through a backpack or waist belt to extricate a beverage container, unfasten the lid, drink and then replace the resealed container in storage. A solution is needed that provides athletes and sports enthusiasts with a beverage container that is easily transportable and does not require the participant to use his hands to take a drink. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0007]    The prior art contains a number of devices for securing a container to the limb of a user. But the prior art does not teach an armband secured to a beverage container holder that has a retaining means for holding a straw in steady position so that a user may drink without necessitating the use of hands. The present invention incorporates these elements into a portable beverage container holder for use while engaging in physical activities. 
         [0008]    Katz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,869 discloses a flask-type beverage container that is curved to conform to the shape of a user&#39;s limb. The flask has a straw that passes through the outer face of the container. The straw may be pulled out or pushed in to customize the length as necessary. A pair of straps is secured to opposing sides of he the container. These straps can be removably secured around a user&#39;s arm or leg to easy transportation of a beverage. The Katz device is a removably securable beverage container, not a beverage container holder, like the present invention. Users of the Katz invention are required to fill the flask and bring it with them, as opposed to inserting a beverage container of choice into an armband. Furthermore Katz doe not disclose a securement means for retaining the straw in a particular position. The present invention discloses such a securement means, which is useful when a user desires a drink but is unable to use his hands. 
         [0009]    A similar device is taught by Abreu-Marston, U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,089. The device is a flask-like beverage container that is removably securable to a user&#39;s limb by an armband with a loop of elastic secured to the inner face of the armband. Like the beverage container of Katz, the Abreu-Marston container is also curved to conform to the contour of a user&#39;s arm or leg. Attachment means such as hook and loop fasteners are disposed along the front and rear of the beverage container. These attachment points engage with opposing attachment means on the interior of the elastic loop to facilitate strong securement of the beverage container within the loop. Once the container is placed within the loop the user straps the armband onto an arm or leg and the device is ready for use. Like the Katz device, this one also requires a specific beverage container be used and does not include a straw retaining means. 
         [0010]    Other devices provide a pouch capable of carrying a beverage container. The pouch can be removably secured to a user&#39;s limb for ease of transport. Boretsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,762 discloses a pouch secured to an armband. The pouch is open at the top to allow insertion of a small bottle of liquid. Another device, disclosed by Morgan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0047990 pertains to a v-shaped armband secured to a storage pocket. The storage pocket can contain beverage bottles, mp3 players, and a variety of other items. Neither the device of Boretsky nor the device of Morgan discloses a straw retaining means that holds a straw in a given position so that a user doesn&#39;t have to use his hands to drink. The present invention includes a straw retaining means so that users can freely participate in activities without having to stop and manipulate a straw so that they can rehydrate. 
         [0011]    The present invention provides a portable beverage container holder that may be removably secured to the arm of a user. It provides convenience to users participating in sports that require the use of both hands, by providing a straw retaining means that holds a straw in a steady position so that a user may drink without the use of his hands. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing portable beverage container holder devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of portable beverage container holders now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new straw retaining means wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when rehydrating while participating in physical activities. 
         [0013]    The invention comprises an adjustable elastic armband, a beverage container holder, a beverage container, a flexible straw, and a straw retainer. The adjustable elastic armband may be secured to a user&#39;s upper arm via hook and loop fasteners or other convenient water-tolerant fastening means. This allows the device to be used during a variety of physical activities, including water and snow sports. 
         [0014]    A beverage container holder is secured along a front side of the armband, for holding the associated beverage container or any other bottle the user wishes to carry. The holder comprises an elastic holder loop secured and elastic support strap secured to the bottom of the holder loop and perpendicular thereto. When a beverage container is inserted into the holder the body of the container is held in place by the holder loop and the bottom of the container is supported by the support strap. 
         [0015]    A flexible straw extends through a removable cap on the beverage container, providing a conduit from liquid inside the beverage container to a user&#39;s mouth. The end of the straw that is not enclosed within the beverage container may be secured via the straw retainer. This straw retainer may be a small elastic strap secured via hook and loop fasteners, or other fastening means, to the front face of the beverage container holder. To secure the straw, a user lifts the small strap, positions the straw underneath the strap then secures the strap to the beverage container holder. The straw is thus prevented from flopping around while the user participates in an activity. The straw retainer is also helpful for maintaining the straw in a particular position so that a user may drink without the use of his hands. 
         [0016]    In an alternate embodiment of the device a small container-securing strap is attached to the beverage holder container. The container-securing strap has a loop disposed at its upper end. When a beverage container is inserted into the container holder, the securing strap is placed over the top of the container to restrict its movement and prevent it from falling out of the container holder while a user is participating in a physical activity. 
         [0017]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved portable beverage container holder device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
         [0018]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a beverage container holder that removably and comfortably secures to a user&#39;s arm. 
         [0019]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage container holder that permits easy carrying of a beverage during the commission of a sport or physical activity. 
         [0020]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a straw-retainer secured to a beverage container holder for holding a straw in a particular position so that a user may drink from a beverage container without the use of his hands. 
         [0021]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide a container securing strap that removably secures a beverage container within a beverage container holder. 
         [0022]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of the portable beverage container holder with the armband in an open and unsecured position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  shows a front view of the portable beverage container holder device with the armband in a closed position. The beverage container and associate cap and straw are shown in their unassembled positions. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the portable beverage container holder secured to a user&#39;s arm and ready for use. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of the portable beverage container holder in use by a drinking individual. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the portable beverage container holder device. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for holding a beverage container while a user engages in a physical activity. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a frontal view of the present invention. An armband strap  11  has a front face, a rear face and fastening means  12  secured at opposing ends of the strap. One portion of the fastening means is secured to the rear face of the end of the armband and a corresponding portion of the fastening means is secured to the front face of the opposing end of the armband. This fastening means may be hook and loop fasteners. Snaps, or any other commonly used fasteners. An adjustment means  15  is disposed along a portion of the armband and may be used to customize the size and fit of the armband to an individual user. 
         [0030]    A beverage container holder  13  is secured to the front face of the armband. The beverage container holder is designed to retain a beverage container and support the bottom of the container. A straw-retainer  14  is secured to the outside of the beverage container holder and is used to removably secure a straw in place during use of the device. The straw-retainer may comprise a patch of hook and loop fastener disposed on the beverage container holder and a corresponding strap of hook and loop fastener that can be removably attached to the underlying patch of fastener to secure a straw therebetween. The strap can be secured to the patch of fastener material in any desired orientation. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a front view of the device. The armband  11  is in a closed position with its ends removably secure together to form a closed loop. An adjustment means  15  on one side of the armband can be used to reduce or increase the diameter of the closed loop according to the individual needs of a user. 
         [0032]    The beverage container holder  13  is secured to a portion of the front face of the armband. The holder comprises a closed, elastic holder loop and a support strap that extends perpendicularly across the bottom of the holder loop, forming a half loop that hangs down below the holder loop. A beverage container  16  fits within the beverage container holder and is snuggly held in place by the holder loop, and supported on the bottom by the support strap. A straw from the beverage container may be removably secured to the beverage container holder by the straw-retainer  14 . In an alternate embodiment, a container-securing strap  19  is attached to the beverage container holder. This elastic strap has a loop disposed at its upper end, which may be placed around the neck of a beverage container to reduce the risk that the bottle will become dislodged from the beverage container holder while the device is in use. 
         [0033]    The device includes a beverage container  15  with a removable cap  17  and a flexible straw  18 . The cap may be of the “screw-on” type or any other conventional attachment means used in the beverage container art. A flexible straw extends through the removable cap, forming a conduit between the liquid in the container and a user&#39;s mouth. A rubber stopper or the like is placed around the connection between the cap and the straw to prevent liquid from exiting the beverage container and debris from entering the same. In a preferred embodiment the straw has a fluid control mechanism disposed at one end. This fluid control mechanism prevents liquid from leaving the beverage container through the straw when a user is not drinking. One such mechanism consists of a pressure-activated valve that permits liquid to flow through when the valve is depressed by a user&#39;s teeth and reseals the straw when pressure is released. 
         [0034]    Turning now to  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3  the device is shown in various stages of use by a person participating in a physical activity that requires the use of both hands. The armband  11  is secured to the upper arm  20  of a user such that the beverage container holder  13  and retained beverage container  16  are positioned on the outside of the user&#39;s arm. The flexible straw  18  is retained by the straw-retainer  14  in a position that is convenient for drinking. A user can drink from the straw while it is retained in the straw-retainer, as shown in  FIG. 4 , or remove the straw from the straw-retainer and use one hand to steady the straw for drinking. 
         [0035]    In use an individual fills the beverage container with a desired liquid then secures the removable cap in place so that one end of the flexible straw is immersed in the liquid. The beverage container is then slid down into the beverage container holder until the bottom of the container meets the beverage container holder support strap. The adjustment strap is used to lengthen or shorten the overall length of the armband and the armband is then placed around a user&#39;s upper arm and secured in place by fastening means. The flexible straw is then manipulated into position near the straw-retainer and secured between the small strap and the patch of fastening material. The user may adjust the positioning of the straw as necessary. Activities may then be performed without necessitating cumbersome backpacks or waist pouches to carry a beverage container in. 
         [0036]    The present portable beverage container holder provides a means for facilitating easy hydration during participation in physical activities. The adjustable elastic armband is designed to fit comfortably around the upper arms of users of a variety of shapes and sizes. It may be constructed of neoprene or any other form-fitting water-tolerant material. The armband should fit snuggly but comfortably on a user&#39;s arm so that the weight of a beverage container may be easily born by the user. Likewise, the beverage container holder should be constructed of the same or similar material to that of the armband in order to ensure the snug fit of a beverage container within the holder. 
         [0037]    A straw retainer disposed on the front of the beverage container holder provides removable securement of a straw. This is particularly useful to users who may not always have full use of their hands during participation in an activity. The straw can be pre-positioned and secured in a manner that is advantageous to a drinking user, prior to the beginning of the activity. Thus the user can drink as necessary without ceasing the activity to rehydrate. 
         [0038]    A beverage container and flexible straw assembly are incorporated into the device, but any suitably sized beverage container may be inserted into the beverage container holder. Similarly, other flexible straws may be used, according to a user&#39;s need for longer or shorter straw lengths. 
         [0039]    To this point, the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0040]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.