Abstract:
A score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device for the dual purpose of insulating hot and cold beverages while keeping numerical count. This beverage insulation device may be comprised of a thin and flexible yet insulating material that contains a numerical counting mechanism on its surface while retaining its flexible and collapsible qualities. The user may remove a small tab from any given numerical location and replace the same tab in a different numerical location for purposes of keeping track of a specific quantity. The beverage insulation device may be used for tracking score while playing a yard game such as horse shoes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/978,263, filed on Apr. 11, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a beverage insulation device having a score-keeping element that provides the ability to keep a numerical count. More specifically embodiments of the present invention relate to a collapsible beverage insulation device having a score-keeping element. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the Background 
         [0005]    There are a variety of devices that serve the purpose of reducing heat transfer to and from various types of beverage containers. These insulation devices are commonly referred to as “Koozies” or beverage coolers and are commonly used to keep a warm beverage from cooling, or a cold beverage from warming. Other common uses for beverage insulation devices are to prevent burning one&#39;s skin due to heat transfer from a hot container, as well as differentiating one beverage from another for identification and ownership of a specific beverage that may otherwise have a similar appearance to another beverage. 
         [0006]    The prior art includes a variety of beverage insulation devices, however, none is collapsible in nature and allows the user to keep track of anything numerical in nature. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved beverage insulation device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    One aspect of the invention relates to a beverage insulation device having a score-keeping element that allows a user not only to use their beverage insulation device for beverage insulation, but also to keep track of any numerical task often relating to, but not limited to, games and scoring. The score-keeping element may create a value added aspect to a product the consumer may already consistently use at their home, back yard cookouts, tailgate parties, and sporting events. In some embodiments, the beverage insulation device may be flexible and collapsible. The collapsible nature of the beverage insulation device may allow a user to easily carry the score-keeping beverage insulation device in their pocket so the invention may conveniently go wherever the user goes. In some embodiments, the beverage insulation device may be capable of not only keeping a beverage warm or cold, but also capable of keeping track of numerical activities while retaining its flexible and collapsible qualities. In some embodiments, the beverage insulation device may include a set of numbers that, when combined with a fastening device, is capable of keeping track of one or more scores. The beverage insulation device may allow a user to simply remove a portion of fastener and reattach the fastener to a different numerical location on the beverage cooler. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, a set of sequential numbers may be printed on one side of the beverage cooler and utilize hook and loop fasteners to organize a numerical count. In this embodiment, the loop portion of the fastener may be sewn to the beverage cooler and smaller tab sections of hook fasteners are used to mark a numerical location on the loop portion. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, the hook and loop fasteners are capable of being interchanged. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the location of the numerical sequence and location of the fasteners may face alternate directions on alternate locations of the beverage cooler and may use alternate forms of fastening such as magnets. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, when a beverage is not in the beverage insulation device, the beverage insulation device may be collapsible and capable of fitting into a confined space such as a pants back pocket. 
         [0012]    Another aspect of the invention may provide a collapsible beverage insulation device. The collapsible beverage insulation device may include a beverage holder and a score-keeping element. The beverage holder may include a collapsible sleeve that has an outer surface and an inner surface. The score-keeping element may include a display of sequential numbers on the outer surface of the sleeve, a fastening component attached to the outer surface of the sleeve adjacent to the display, and a score-keeping tab configured to be removably fastened to the fastening component. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments, the fastening component may be a component of a hook-and-loop fastener. In some embodiments, the fastening component may be a hook component of a hook-and-loop fastener, and the score keeping tab may include a loop component configured to be removably fastened to the hook component. In some embodiments, the fastening component may be a loop component of a hook-and-loop fastener, and the score keeping tab may include a hook component configured to be removably fastened to the loop component. In some embodiments, the fastening component may be a magnet. In some embodiments, the score keeping tab may contains a metal component and may be attracted to magnets. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, the fastening component may run parallel to the display of sequential numbers. In some embodiments, the fastening component may be a first fastening component, the score-keeping element may further include a second fastening component adjacent to the display of the sequential numbers, and the first and second fastening components may be on opposite sides of the display of the sequential numbers. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments, the display may be a first display, the fastening component may be a first fastening component, the score keeping tab may be a first score keeping tab, and the score-keeping element may further include: a second display of the sequential numbers on the outer surface of the sleeve, a third display of the sequential numbers on the outer surface of the sleeve, a second fastening component attached to the outer surface of the sleeve adjacent to the second display, a third fastening component attached to the outer surface of the sleeve adjacent to the third display, and a second score keeping tab configured to be removably fastened to the second fastening component. The second display of the sequential numbers may run parallel to the first display of the sequential numbers, and the third display of the sequential numbers may run parallel to the first display of the sequential numbers. 
         [0016]    In some embodiments, the sleeve may comprise a thermal insulating material. In some embodiments, the sleeve may be cylindrical. In some embodiments, the beverage holder may have no base. In some embodiments, the beverage holder may further include a base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device embodying aspects of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of a score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device embodying aspects of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device embodying aspects of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates a back view of a score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device embodying aspects of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates a top view of a score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device embodying aspects of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  illustrates a bottom view of a score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device embodying aspects of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]      FIGS. 1-6  illustrate perspective, front, side, back, top, and bottom views, respectively, of a score-keeping collapsible beverage insulation device  100  embodying aspects of the present invention. In some embodiments, the beverage insulation device  100  may be a beverage cooler. In some embodiments, the beverage insulation device  100  may include a beverage holder  102  and a score keeping element  114 . In some embodiments, the beverage holder  102  may include a sleeve  106  and a base  108 . In some non-limiting embodiments, the sleeve  106  may be cylindrical. However, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments, the sleeve  106  may be another shape (e.g., rectangular, square, oval, or diamond). In some embodiments, the sleeve  106  may be open on one end and include the base  108  at the opposite end. In some embodiments, the base  108  may be configured to support a beverage holder (e.g., a can or bottle) in the sleeve  106  and may be configured to prevent the beverage holder from passing completely through the sleeve  106 . In some non-limiting embodiments, the base  108  may completely close off one end of the sleeve  106 . However, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments, the base  108  may only close off a portion of the end of the sleeve  106 . In some embodiments, the sleeve  106  may be open on both ends and may accommodate beverages of varying heights and/or be capable of sliding over another object such as, for example, a person&#39;s forearm or a pole. In some embodiments, the sleeve  106  may include an outer surface  110  and an inner surface  112 . 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, the beverage insulation device  100  may include a score-keeping element  114 . In some embodiments, the score-keeping element  114  may include a display  116 , a fastening component  118 , and a score keeping tab  120 . In some embodiments, the display  116  may include sequential numbers  122  (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) on the outer surface  110  of the sleeve  106 . In some embodiments, the fastening component  118  may be attached to the outer surface  110  of the sleeve  106  adjacent to the display  116 . In some embodiments, the score-keeping tab  120  may be configured to be removably fastened to the fastening component  118 . 
         [0026]    In some non-limiting embodiments, the fastening component  118  and the score-keeping tab  120  may be implemented using a hook-and-loop fastener. For instance, in one non-limiting embodiment, the fastening component  118  may be a hook component of a hook-and-loop fastener, and the score-keeping tab  120  may be a loop component configured to be removably fastened to the hook component. However, this is not required, and, in an alternative embodiment, the fastening component  118  may be a loop component of a hook-and-loop fastener, and the score-keeping tab  120  may be a hook component configured to be removably fastened to the loop component. Also, it is not required that the fastening component  118  and the score-keeping tab  120  be implemented using a hook-and-loop fastener, and, in some alternative embodiments, the fastening component  118  and the score-keeping tab  120  be implemented using other means, such as, for example, a magnetic fastener. For instance, in one non-limiting embodiment, the fastening component  118  may be a sewn in north pole oriented magnetic fastener, and the score-keeping tab  120  may be a south pole oriented magnetic fastener configured to be removably fastened to the north pole oriented magnetic component. However, this is not required, and, in an alternative embodiment, the fastening component  118  may be a sewn in a south pole oriented magnetic fastener, and the score-keeping tab  120  may be a north pole oriented magnetic fastener configured to be removably fastened to the south pole oriented magnetic component. 
         [0027]    In some non-limiting embodiments, the fastening component  118  may run parallel to the display  116  of sequential numbers  122 . However, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments, the fastening component  118  and display  116  may have another configuration. For instance, in one alternative embodiment, the sequential numbers  122  of the display  116  may be printed or sewn on the fastening component  118 . 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, the fastening component  118  may be a first fastening component, and the score-keeping element  114  may include a second fastening component  124  adjacent to the display  116  of the sequential numbers  122 . The first and second fastening components  118 ,  124  may be on opposite sides of the display  116  of the sequential numbers  122 . 
         [0029]    In some embodiments, the display  116  may be a first display, the score keeping tab  120  may be a first score keeping tab, and the score-keeping element  114  may include a second display  126 , a third display  136 , a third fastening component  130 , and a second score keeping tab  132 . In some embodiments, the second display  126  may be a display of sequential numbers  128  on the outer surface  110  of the sleeve  106 . In some non-limiting embodiments, the sequential numbers  128  may correspond to or be the same as the sequential numbers  122 . In some non-limiting embodiments, the second display  126  of the sequential numbers  128  may run parallel to the first display  116  of the sequential numbers  122 . In some embodiments, the third display  136  may be a display of sequential numbers  138  on the outer surface  110  of the sleeve  106 . In some non-limiting embodiments, the sequential numbers  138  may correspond to or be the same as the sequential numbers  122  or  126 . In some non-limiting embodiments, the third display  136  of the sequential numbers  138  may run parallel to the first display  116  of the sequential numbers  122  and the second display  126  of the sequential numbers  138 . However, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments, the first, second, and third displays  116 ,  126 , and  136  may have a different configuration. For instance, in one alternative embodiment, the first, second, and third displays  116 ,  126 , and  136  may be oriented vertically, may be oriented on opposing sides from each other on sleeve  106 , may be oriented in a continuous or segmented sequentially numbered line around the perimeter of sleeve  106 , or may begin the numbers at the top of either of the two sides where the numbers continue down the side, across the bottom and up the opposing side. In some embodiments, the third fastening component  130  may be attached to the outer surface  110  of the sleeve  106  adjacent to the second display  126 . In some embodiments, the second score keeping tab  132  may be configured to be removably fastened to the third fastening component  130 . 
         [0030]    In some non-limiting embodiments, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 , the second fastening component  124  and the third fastening component  130  may be the same fastening component. However, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments, the second fastening component  124  and the third fastening component  130  may be different fastening components. 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the score-keeping element  114  may comprise a fourth fastening component  134 . In some embodiments the display  116 ,  126 ,  136  may have sequential numbers that are instead broken into four sequentially numbered lines and therefore implement an associated fourth fastening component specific to the fourth display. In some non-limiting embodiments display  166 ,  126 ,  136  and any other configuration of displays may be oriented in a square pattern with the sequential numbers on the outside and the fastening component on the inside perimeter of the sequential square. However, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments the fastening component may be oriented on the outside perimeter of the sequential square. In some embodiments, the score-keeping element  114  may comprise a fourth fastening component  134  that may be positioned vertical or horizontal on either side or bottom of the sleeve  106 . 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, the sleeve  106  may be made of a thermal insulating material including but not limited to foam, nylon, leather, neoprene or polyurethane. 
         [0033]    In some embodiments, the beverage holder  100  may be collapsible. Beverage holder  100  by nature is made of flexible thin materials that are not only conducive to beverage insulation, but also to material flexibility. A non-rigid structure, beverage holder  100  can be laid flat, bent, folded, rolled or wadded. Sleeve  106  may be sewn at the sides, however, this is not required and in some alternative embodiments, the side seams may make use of another fastening system including but not limited to hook and loop fasteners, zippers, or magnets. In some embodiments, the side seams of beverage holder  100  creates continued flexibility throughout the structure allowing beverage holder  100  to lay flat, be bent, folded, rolled, or wadded in any position at any part of beverage holder  100  without compromising the overall structure. In some embodiments, beverage holder  100  will have a sleeve  106  and a base  108  that may not be rigidly fastened thus leaving a flexible connection between the sleeve  106  and base  108 . 
         [0034]    Embodiments of the present invention have been fully described above with reference to the drawing figures. Although the invention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, it would be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions could be made to the described embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention.