Abstract:
Embodiments are described of a beverage container having a secondary opening. The secondary opening is provided in addition to a primary opening on the top beverage container and allows the contents of the beverage container to be consumed quickly. The use of this secondary opening allows air to freely flow into the container through one of the openings while the beverage flows out of the other opening. In one embodiment, the secondary opening is placed near the bottom of the container on its siding directly below the primary opening on the top of the container. This allows the user to safely open the secondary opening on the beverage container with ease.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to containers and in particular to a beverage container having a primary and secondary opening. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Soft drinks, energy drinks and alcoholic beverages have typically been widely distributed and sold in metal and plastic containers. These beverage containers keep the beverages pressurized to maintain their carbonated quality and flavor during transport. Aluminum cans, as an example, have become a universal standard used by most major beverage producers. 
         [0005]    In some cases, a user may attempt to drink the beverages of these containers very quickly by puncturing a hole in the side of the beverage container. This is commonly referred to as “shotgunning” the beverage container and may be done with any beverage container, including beers, energy drinks, and soft drinks. The technique has become a popular way for users to consume the contents of the beverage very quickly. Creating a secondary hole on the side of the container in addition to the opening on the top of the container provides the user with two primary advantages. 
         [0006]    The first advantage is that the secondary hole created by the user allows the beverage to freely flow out while the primary opening on the top allows air to freely flow into the container to fill the volume left behind from the dispensed beverage. 
         [0007]    The second advantage follows from the first. When a user drinks a beverage quickly by use only of the normal opening on the top of the container, the beverage tends to fizz and bubble up in the user&#39;s mouth as the carbonation within the beverage is released while rapidly flowing out of the single opening. This makes the beverage more difficult to drink and deteriorates its taste as it becomes fizzy and flat. By creating a secondary hole on the container, the beverage with all of its integrity will freely flow from the container with ease while the air enters the container through the normal opening on top. 
         [0008]    Thus, by creating a secondary hole on a beverage container, the consumer may drink the beverage more quickly while maintaining its full integrity and taste. 
         [0009]    A common problem with creating a secondary hole on the beverage container or “shotgunning” the beverage container, is that it is inconvenient and dangerous. The process of creating the hole requires the user to puncture the hole by any means possible, for example by cutting through the container with a knife or another sharp object. Users must then shape the punctured hole to a size sufficiently large enough to allow the beverage to freely flow from the container. If the punctured hole is made too wide however, it may spill on the user while drinking. Puncturing the hole in the container also causes the pressurized, carbonated contents of the container to explode onto the user or others nearby. Furthermore, in the case where the beverage container is made of metal, i.e. aluminum, the cut hole will have sharp edges that may cut the user&#39;s fingers and/or mouth while using the secondary hole to drink the beverage. For these reasons, this process is dangerous and very inconvenient. 
         [0010]    Therefore, there is a need for a beverage container having a secondary opening made accessible to the user safely and with ease. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The embodiments of the present invention provide a beverage container having a secondary opening on the container separate from the primary opening on the top of the container. The secondary opening may be the same or different as the primary opening on the top of the container and located anywhere on the container so long as it allows the beverage to freely flow from either the primary opening or secondary opening. In addition, the secondary opening may be opened and resealed to allow the user to close the hole after opening it. It will be appreciated that the precise variations of shape, type, form, or materials made to create any part of the container falls within the scope of the invention so long as the beverage container has a secondary opening that can be safely opened with ease. 
         [0012]    It will also be appreciated that the precise location of the secondary opening is not to be limited. In one embodiment, the secondary opening is placed on the side of the beverage container, directly below the primary opening as will be discussed later. However, other embodiments include the secondary opening located anywhere on the container, including on the bottom of the container, so long as it allows the beverage to freely flow from the container through either opening. 
         [0013]    Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention allows for more than one secondary opening on the beverage container. For example, a plurality of openings may be designed on the beverage container made for simultaneous or independent use. The number of secondary openings may be limited by the size of the container and therefore larger containers will be able to facilitate more secondary openings than smaller containers. In the case that two or more secondary openings are opened, the beverage will flow from the container though each of the opened openings simultaneously. In this way, multiple consumers can drink from a single beverage container in this case by each using a different opening on the container. In the case that only one of the secondary openings is used independently of the others, the beverage will flow from only that single secondary opening. 
         [0014]    It is also within the scope of the invention that the type of openings may vary and may have various orientations on the container. In some cases, it may be beneficial for the primary and secondary openings to be the same and in others it may be advantageous for them to be different. Furthermore, in other cases the secondary openings may be rotated to adjust the orientation between the primary and secondary openings. For example, it may be useful to design the beverage container for either a right-handed or left-handed user. In this case, the type of primary and secondary openings may vary and be oriented on the container to best serve this purpose. Furthermore, the openings may be capable of being rotated so that one beverage container may facilitate both right-handed or left-handed users. In this case, the type of primary and secondary openings may vary and be rotated on the container to best serve this purpose. 
         [0015]    Finally, as described in the previous two paragraphs, the container may have a plurality of secondary openings each having a different type and orientation (including rotation), to best serve both right-handed and left-handed consumers. It should also be considered obvious by those skilled in the art to make or use any various combinations of the ideas disclosed herein. Other objects and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will appear from the following description of the embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a view of a beverage container according to an embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  shows a view of a beverage container according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  shows beverage containing according to another embodiment that includes the secondary opening being placed near the top or bottom of the beverage container. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2C  shows a beverage container having the secondary opening placed on the left or right side of the beverage container according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  shows a beverage containing at least two secondary openings located above/below each other on the beverage container according to another embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  shows a beverage container having a plurality of secondary openings located next to each other on the beverage container according to another embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4A  shows an orientation of the secondary opening in a beverage container with respect to the primary opening for a right-handed consumer according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4B  shows an orientation of the secondary opening in a beverage container with respect to the primary opening for a left-handed consumer according another embodiment. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4C  shows an orientation of the secondary opening in a beverage container having a secondary opening having an orientation designed for rotation according to another embodiment of the invention. By rotating the orientation of the secondary opening, the beverage container is able to serve both right-handed and left-handed consumers. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5A  shows a view of another embodiment of the present invention. A variety of modifications can be made to the beverage container within the scope of the present invention and combinations of any of the features shown in the other drawings may be implemented into one design. This drawing more specifically shows the beverage container in  FIG. 1  having a plurality of secondary openings as shown in  FIG. 3B , each having a different orientation as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , according to embodiments that may be implemented into one design. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5B  shows the beverage container as shown in  FIG. 1 , having a plurality of secondary openings as shown in  FIG. 3A , each secondary opening having a different location as shown in  FIGS. 2B and 2C , and each secondary opening also having different orientations as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , according to embodiments that may be implemented in another design. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    A more detailed description will now describe the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  shows a view of a beverage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. The beverage container  10  comprises a top  11 , a primary opening  12 , siding  13 , a secondary opening  14  and a bottom (not shown). The primary opening  12  and secondary opening  14  should be made so that the user can safely open the beverage container  10  with ease, however many modifications of this invention may include variations to the precise shape, size, type, materials, and locations/orientations of the primary opening  12  and secondary opening  14 . These variations may apply to each part of the beverage container  10  as well. All variations or modifications of this sort are considered within the inventive scope of the invention. In addition, the secondary opening may be opened and resealed to allow the user to close the hole after opening it. The shape of the beverage container  10  may include all commonly known beverage container shapes, including standard aluminum cans and variations thereof, as well as plastic and glass bottles. 
         [0029]    The size of the beverage container  10  may vary as well. Although the precise volume of the container is only limited by the consumers ability to lift and drink the beverage container, most commonly beverage container sizes include 6 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, 22 oz, 24 oz, 32 oz, and 64 oz in North America as well as 250 ml, 500 ml, 750 ml, and 1 liter in Europe. Any volume within reason however can be used for the design of the embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0030]    The type of primary opening  12  and secondary opening  14  designed may vary. In different embodiments, the primary opening  12  and secondary opening  14  may be the same type or different types of openings. 
         [0031]    The materials to make the beverage container  10  include any materials commonly known for making beverage containers including metals, i.e. aluminum, steel, tin, or another composition of metal or metal alloy, plastics, glass, and variants thereof. It is conceivable that other materials can be implored for the creation of this invention however the use of a secondary opening on such a container made from another unknown material would be obvious to those of skill in the art so long as it allows the beverage to flow freely from the container. 
         [0032]    The location of the primary opening  12  and secondary opening  14  on beverage container  10  may vary as shown in  FIGS. 2A-2D . The purpose of these drawings is not to be exhaustive; rather they are provided to illustrate several of the many variations that may be applied to the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 2A  shows the preferred embodiment of beverage container  20  as having a primary opening  12  on the top  11  of the container and a secondary opening  24  on the container siding  13  near the bottom. Components  11 ,  12 , and  13  are common to  FIGS. 2A-5B  and will not be described again. (Note, an exemplary pull-tab is used as a primary opening  102  in  FIGS. 4A-5B  as will be more thoroughly described below.) The plane  15  shown in  FIG. 2A  defines the side from which the user may drink the beverage. In this embodiment, the primary opening  12  is on the same plane  15  as the secondary opening  14 . For best results, the secondary opening  24  should be located on the same plane  15  as shown in the preferred embodiment of beverage container  20 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 2B  shows another embodiment of the present invention, where a beverage container  30  that includes a secondary opening  34  placed midway on the container siding  13 . In this drawing, the secondary opening  34  is shown located closer to the top  11  of the beverage container  30  and shows that the secondary opening  34  may be located near the top  11 , in the middle, or near the bottom (as shown in  FIG. 2A ) of beverage container  30 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 2B  shows that the secondary opening  34  is not required to be located on the same plane as the primary opening  12 . 
         [0036]    Another example to illustrate that the location of the secondary opening  44  may vary is shown on beverage container  40  in  FIG. 2C . In this drawing, the secondary opening  44  is located to the left of the plane  15  shown in  FIG. 2A . 
         [0037]      FIG. 3A  shows a beverage container  60  according to another embodiment. The beverage container  60  may have at least two secondary openings  64 . The at least two secondary openings  64  may be placed above and below each other.  FIG. 3A  is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention and these at least two secondary openings  64  may be located anywhere on the beverage container  60 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3B  shows another embodiment of the present invention having a plurality of openings  74  side-by-side on a beverage container  70 . As previously mentioned, this figure is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention and these multiple secondary openings  14  may be located anywhere on the beverage container  70 . 
         [0039]    A beverage container  80  in  FIG. 4A  shows a primary opening  102  and secondary opening  84  as pull-tab openings, as one type of opening that may be used, where the secondary tab  84  is oriented with the pull-up portion to the right of the potential opening. The primary opening  102  and the secondary opening  84  have an orientation design that may be preferred by right-handed users. Right-handed users may conveniently use their right hand to open the primary opening  102  and left hand to open the secondary opening  104 . 
         [0040]    Alternatively, a beverage container  90  in  FIG. 4B  shows the primary opening  102  and a secondary opening  94  as pull-tab openings  102  and  94  having an orientation designed for left-handed users. Left-handed users may prefer using the left hand to open the primary opening  102  and the right hand to open the secondary opening  94 . 
         [0041]    The orientation of the primary opening  12  and secondary opening  14  of  FIG. 1  may be modified as shown by a beverage container  100  shown in  FIG. 4C . As in  FIGS. 4A-4B , the use of a pull-tab is meant as an example and not to limit the scope of the inventive concept.  FIG. 4C  shows the beverage container  100  having a secondary opening  104  capable of rotation. The secondary opening  104  may be adjusted by right-handed and left-handed users, according to the user&#39;s preference. 
         [0042]    In other embodiments, various features of  FIGS. 2A-4C  may be combined as shown in a beverage container  110  design shown in  FIG. 5A . The beverage container  110  comprises several of the previously mentioned modifications. More specifically, the beverage container  110  has the similar features of beverage container  10  in  FIG. 1 , however it additionally has more than one secondary opening  114  as described in reference to  FIG. 3B  as well as each secondary opening  104  having a different orientation in relation to the primary opening  102  as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4B . 
         [0043]    To further illustrate this point, reference is made to  FIG. 5B . A beverage container  120  is shown in  FIG. 5B  having similar features of beverage container  10  in  FIG. 1 , however in this case, it has more than one secondary opening  124  as shown in  FIG. 3A , each of these secondary openings  124  having a different location as described in  FIGS. 2B-2C . Additionally, each secondary opening  124  has a different orientation with respect to the primary opening  102  as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4B . In conclusion, it is within the scope of the inventive concept to apply any number of the modifications shown in  FIGS. 2A-5B  to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0044]    In summary, it has been the purpose of this specification to clearly and fully disclose the objects of the present invention. As mentioned, embodiments of the invention may take the form of various embodiments however it is the underlining concept of this invention to provide a safe and ease way for users to drink a beverage by use of a secondary opening, or a plurality thereof, on the beverage container. 
         [0045]    From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from scope of the invention. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention are not limited except as by the appended claims.