Abstract:
Apparatus are disclosed for a small group to drink a beverage, such as an alcoholic beverage. A container preferably made of glass or ceramic material holds the beverage and includes at least one aperture. A plurality of flexible hoses are provided, each hose of sufficient length for installation extending through the aperture so that a proximal end of each hose is located inside the container to access the beverage and a distal end of each hose is located outside the container for a corresponding use to drink from the container by applying suction. A preferred embodiment also includes a shot pump on the hose to dispense a predetermined volume of the beverage to the user in response to a squeeze and release action.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This application pertains to containers and related apparatus for consumption of beverages.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Containers for storing and pouring liquids, especially water, date back near the beginning of civilization. Myriad sizes, shapes and varieties are known. In modern times, all sorts of beverages, e.g. water, juice, beer, coffee drinks, etc. are packaged and sold in various containers, often made of aluminum, polymeric materials (plastics) or glass. Removable lids, “pop tops” and such are known for opening the container to enable pouring a liquid from the container into a drinking vessel or directly into the mouth of the consumer. Sometimes consumers use a drinking straw to withdraw liquid from a container. All of these methods and apparatus pertain to one individual drinking from a container; an essentially personal, individual activity. That said, it is well known of course for people to gather in homes, bars and other venues to engage in social intercourse while drinking, especially while drinking alcoholic beverages, but each person drinks from his own container.  
         [0003]     A very different but socially important tradition of the Middle East is the art of hookah smoking. The hookah, also referred to as a narghile or narghila, sheesha, hubble-bubble, or water-pipe, has long inspired great discussions of politics, religion, and the daily events. In social gatherings, a hookah with a single hose is sometimes used. A narghile is placed in the center of a group and, after puffing on the mouthpiece, smokers pass the hose around to the next person in the circle, generally chatting all the while in a friendly, cordial atmosphere. Often, a hookah is used that has multiple hoses, say three or four, so that each smoker has his own mouthpiece, and passing it around is unnecessary.  
         [0004]     The popularity of the hookah has increased dramatically in recent years, mainly due to the social nature of hookah smoking. In the United States, where life is frenetic, it certainly contributes to the smoker&#39;s integration in his or her social environment in a brotherly peaceful act of solidarity. Smoking, however, is now known to present serious health risks to the user, and to those around her. Smoking has recently been banned in many public places such as shops, restaurants and buses in the United States and abroad.  
         [0005]     The need remains for methods and apparatus that support and encourage relaxed social gatherings and, in particular, that enable small group social activities such as imbibing.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     Embodiments of the invention include a beverage container, and a plurality of hoses arranged for a small group of people gathered around the container to drink a beverage from the container, each person using one of the hoses. In some embodiments, the container is made of a ceramic or glass, and it may have a distinctive shape and or surface ornamentation. Preferably, the container is reminiscent of a middle eastern hookah. In one presently preferred embodiment, at least one of the hoses includes a pump for dispensing a predetermined volume of the beverage, e.g. a shot, through the hose to the user. One or more check valves prevent fluid flow back into the container.  
         [0007]     Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus for consumption of a liquid in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a stopper and hoses in another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2B  is a partially sectional view of a distal end portion of a hose showing an internal check valve and mouthpiece.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view illustrating actuation of a pump to discharge liquid through a mouthpiece in accordance with another aspect of the invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3B  illustrates refilling the pump by releasing it to its inherent shape.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3C  is a perspective view showing use of a hose and associated pump to discharge a predetermined shot of liquid into the mouth of a user.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4A  is an enlarged, partially cross-sectional view showing detail of a pump and mouthpiece check valve.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a user squeezing the pump to discharge its fluid contents out of the mouthpiece.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of a stopper and hoses in accordance with the invention, including a smooth, hollow, rigid liner disposed in each hose aperture. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a presently preferred embodiment of a beverage dispenser in accordance with the present invention. The beverage dispenser is designed to enable a plurality of persons to drink a beverage from a common container. It can be used by one person, or by more than one person. Where more than one person are using the container, each of them can drink from it concurrently, meaning that each of them takes a sip of beverage from the container, from time to time, during the same general time frame. They can also drink from it simultaneously, i.e., where all of the users take a drink from the common container at exactly the same time.  
         [0018]     In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the container  10  is made of glass or any other water impermeable rigid or semi-rigid material. Glass or ceramic materials are preferred. The container may be transparent or not, and preferably is adorned with decorative surface ornamentation (not shown). Any potable liquid can be dispensed using the container  10 , such as water, juice or wine. The system described here  
         [0019]     The container can be filled and sealed prior to shipment and sale, for example by a beverage manufacturer, bottler, or wholesaler. It can then be resold at retail to consumers in a market, bar, restaurant, kiosk, sporting venue, etc. Preferably, the container would be sold together with the associated stopper(s), hoses and such as described herein. Alternatively, a user could purchase an empty container and the related apparatus as described herein and fill it himself with a selected beverage. Among other things, the invention is useful for a small group of adults to share an alcoholic beverage. However initially obtained, the container preferably is washable and reusable, although it can also be disposable.  
         [0020]     In one embodiment, container  10  is fitted with a stopper  12 , made of cork, rubber or other suitable material for sealing the beverage within the container  10  to avoid spilling. For reasons explained later, even if the container is knocked over from the upright position shown, little or no beverage will escape. The stopper  12  includes a plurality of holes extending through it to accommodate dispenser hoses, through which the beverage is to be dispensed to the users. (Where a filled container moves through commerce prior to use, it will of course be sealed initially, for example with a stopper or the like that has no holes.) In one embodiment, each hole in the stopper  12  is sized to fit a single hose  14 . Each hose  14  is made of a flexible, water impermeable material such as rubber tubing. Both the stopper  12  and the hoses  14  preferably are made of a cleanable, reusable material. In this way, after the beverage is consumed, the container  10  and related paraphernalia can be cleaned and then reused.  
         [0021]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of hoses  14  extend through corresponding holes in the stopper  12 . In one embodiment, the container  10  may have a volume on the order of one or two liters although the particular volume is not critical. It could be sized to hold several liters in which case the number of hoses might be increased to accommodate a larger number of users, on the order of eight or ten. Smaller versions of the container might be outfitted with just two or three hoses. The particular number of hoses is not critical.  
         [0022]     In any event, the hoses preferably have a length to make it convenient for users who are gathered around the container to partake of the beverage through the user&#39;s respective hose. Each user preferably assigned her own hose for hygienic purposes. Thus, for example, each hose might have a length on the order of 12 to 36 inches, although the length is not critical. In a presently preferred embodiment, each tube has an inside diameter of approximately 5/16&#39;s of an inch. The distal end of each hose preferably is fitted with a mouth piece  18  described further below. We refer to the distal end of the hose as the opposite end of that which is inside the container  10  during use.  
         [0023]     In another embodiment, the hose is bisected into two parts. A first part extends generally from the stopper down into the container. A second part, disposed entirely outside the container, extends from the stopper to the distal (mouthpiece) end. The first and second parts are in fluid communication with one another within or adjacent the stopper so that fluid from the container can flow through the first part of the hose and into the second part of the hose toward the user.  
         [0024]     In another embodiment, an “extension hose” can be provided to effectively lengthen either a unitary or a two-part primary hose. When an extension hose is fitted to the distal end of the primary hose, the mouthpiece is relocated to the distal end of the extension hose. In other embodiments, a mouthpiece can be integrally formed with a hose or extension hose.  
         [0025]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , one or more of the hoses can be outfitted with a pump  20 . The function of the pump  20  is to dispense a predetermined volume of beverage, for example a “shot” through the tube and into the mouth of a user. A “shot” is a commonly known measure for alcoholic beverages on the order of one and one-half fluid ounces. The shot pump  20  is described in further detail below with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the shot pump is installed along a hose generally adjacent to the distal end although the spacing from the distal end is not critical.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2A  shows a stopper  22  having three holes through it for accommodating hoses. As noted, the stopper can be formed to accommodate any desired of users; preferably it would have between two and eight such holes and corresponding hoses. In this embodiment, one of the hoses has a pump.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional view of the distal end region of a typical hose. In  FIG. 2B , the hose  24  has a mouthpiece  26  installed on a distal end thereof and further includes an internal flange or check valve  28 . In one embodiment, the flange is arranged to arrange backwash of beverage into the container  10  during use. The flange allows fluid flow in one direction only; namely, toward the distal end of the hose  24 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 3A  is a cross-sectional view of a distal portion of a hose  30 . In this example, a shot pump  32  is provided for dispensing a predetermined volume of beverage out of the mouthpiece  34 . The volume so dispensed is determined by the volume of the bulbous region  36  of the shot pump. The mouthpiece  34 , which may be cleanable and/or disposable, includes an interior flange  40  also known as a check valve which will allow fluids (both air and liquid) to flow in one direction only; again, toward the user. In initial operation, a user squeezes the bulbous region  36  to a compressed condition, thereby forcing the air out of the volume  36 . The hose check valve  38  prevents the air from traveling down the hose toward the container. Accordingly, the air is forced through the check valve  40  and out through the mouthpiece  34 .  
         [0029]     Then, the user releases the bulb  36  which, because of the resiliency of the bulb material, allows it to return to its original size and shape, as illustrated in  FIG. 3B . The resiliency of the bulb, and the laws of physics, cause it to pull fluid into the bulb to fill the space as it expands to its original shape. The check valve  40  prevents fluid (air or liquid) from flowing into the bulb through the mouthpiece  34 . However, the flange  38  permits the flow of fluid out of the beverage container  10  and into the bulb  36  as shown in  FIG. 3B . Accordingly, an amount of beverage flows into the bulb approximately corresponding to the volume of the bulb. One might say that the shot pump is now refilled or “loaded.” 
         [0030]     Referring next to  FIG. 3C , when ready, a user holds the mouthpiece  34  in her mouth and then she (or an assistant) squeezes the bulb, thereby discharging the volume of beverage held in the bulb  36  into her mouth via mouthpiece  34 . As noted, other users may be consuming beverage from the same container  10  at the same time and, one or more of them may be using a shot pump in like fashion.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4A  is an enlarged, partially cut away view showing detail of the check valve  40  inside of the mouthpiece  34 . The check valve in one embodiment is formed of an opposed pair of flaps  42 A and  42 B which are impermeable to fluids, but nonetheless flexible and resilient. Accordingly, in use, when a fluid is pulled through the hose toward the mouthpiece, either by suction applied by the user or due to squeezing the shot pump, or both, the opposed flaps of the check valve will separate allowing the fluid to flow there through, as shown in  FIG. 4B . On the other hand, any fluid flow in the direction toward the container will cause the resilient flaps to come together thereby sealing of the distal end of the hose to prevent such fluid flow. Thus, the reader will appreciate that the subject beverage dispenser can be used at home, or in a bar or in a restaurant or other location wherever people engage in social interaction that includes drinking beverages.  
         [0032]     In one embodiment, the beverage container  10  ( FIG. 1 ) is made of glass and has a distinctive shape and/or surface ornamentation, or coloring, so that it when empty, it can be carried away as souvenir.  FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of a stopper and two hoses in accordance with the invention, including a smooth, hollow, rigid liner disposed in each hose aperture to facilitate insertion of the hose. The liner can extend outside the stopper, as illustrated, or it can be sized flush with the top and bottom surfaces of the stopper. The hoses can be sized to fit over the liner, above and below the stopper, in which case the hose is bisected. Alternatively, the hose can fit into and through the liner, as shown.  
         [0033]     It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.