Air conditioning lid for beverage containers

• US 10,667,636 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Byrd, Michael S. Byrd
• Original Assignee: Mark Byrd, Michael S. Byrd
• Inventors: Byrd, Mark, Byrd, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duke, Emmanuel E
• Application Number:
  US15/875,552
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/22 Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service glass or drinking-vessel underlays A47G23/03 ; cups as travelling or camp articles A45F3/16; collapsible cups A45F3/20; cups made of plastics B65D1/265, made of paper B65D3/06; measuring cups G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2272 from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2288 with means for keeping liquid cool or hot
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/16 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/205 Vibrating parts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/205 Mounting a ventilator fan therein
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0017 using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/007 with forced flow using ducting systems F24F7/06
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2303/081 using ice cubes or crushed ice
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/811 Pour-throughs
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/002 Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler receptacle coolers F25D31/006
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

An air conditioning lid for use with beverage containers is provided. The lid is designed to cover the open end of a beverage container and to direct ambient air over or through the contents of the beverage container to generate conditioned air. The lid includes a body and a fan. The body is defined by a container engagement portion that engages with the open end of the beverage container and a duct portion that extends downwardly from the container engagement portion. The duct portion defines a first air channel through which ambient air drawn through an intake opening within the container engagement portion by the fan may be directed towards the contents of a beverage container. Conditioned air resulting from an exchange of heat between the ambient air and contents of the beverage container is directed to users via a second air channel within the container engagement portion.

Claims

1. A lid for use with a beverage container, the lid comprising:

a body defined by a container engagement portion configured to cover an open end of the beverage container and a duct portion extending downwardly from the container engagement portion, the duct portion defining a first air channel and the container engagement portion having an intake opening disposed above the first air channel; and

a fan configured to draw air through the intake opening into the first air channel, the fan comprising;

a motor configured to electrically connect to a power supply; and

a fan blade operably connected to the motor, wherein the fan is secured to the body such that the fan blade is disposed below the intake opening, wherein the container engagement portion has a second air channel for receiving air exiting the first air channel and outputting the air outside of the lid and the beverage container, wherein the container engagement portion has an upper section, wherein the upper section of the container engagement portion has a cavity centrally disposed therein, wherein a docking port and the intake opening extend through a floor of the cavity to the first air channel, wherein the motor has a first end configured to electrically connect to the power supply and a second end having the fan blade operably connected thereto, and wherein the motor extends through the docking port such that the first end is disposed above the floor of the cavity and the fan blade is disposed within the first air channel.

2. The lid of claim 1, wherein the second air channel has an inlet encompassing the first air channel.

3. The lid of claim 2, wherein the inlet is defined by an interior surface of the container engagement portion and an exterior surface of the duct portion.

4. The lid of claim 1, wherein the container engagement portion has the upper section having a first diameter and a lower section having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

5. The lid of claim 4, wherein the lower section of the container engagement portion has a substantially hollow bottom.

6. The lid of claim 4, wherein the lower section of the container engagement portion has a first set of threading configured to interlock with a second set of threading disposed on a surface of the beverage container.

7. The lid of claim 4, wherein the upper section of the container engagement portion has a cavity centrally disposed therein, and

wherein the intake opening extends through a floor of the cavity to the first air channel.

8. The lid of claim 4, wherein the second air channel has an outlet disposed within a side wall of the upper section of the container engagement portion.

9. The lid of claim 8, wherein the container engagement portion has a spout extending outwardly from the outlet of the second air channel.

10. The lid of claim 1, wherein the duct portion has a first diameter smaller than a second diameter defined by the container engagement portion.

11. The lid of claim 1, wherein the fan comprises a motor operably connected to a fan blade.

12. The lid of claim 11, wherein the motor is adapted to electrically connect to a computing device.

13. The lid of claim 1 further comprising a power supply electrically connected to the motor and a solar panel secured to the container engagement portion and electrically connected to the power supply,

wherein the solar panel is configured to charge the power supply.

14. A lid for use with a beverage container, the lid comprising:

a body defined by a container engagement portion configured to cover an open end of the beverage container and a duct portion extending downwardly from the container engagement portion,

the duct portion defining a first air channel and the container engagement portion having an intake opening disposed above the first air channel; and

a fan configured to draw air through the intake opening into the first air channel,

the fan comprising;

a motor configured to electrically connect to a power supply; and

a fan blade operably connected to the motor,

wherein the fan is secured to the body such that the fan blade is disposed below the intake opening,

wherein the container engagement portion has a second air channel for receiving air exiting the first air channel and outputting the air outside of the lid and the beverage container,

wherein the second air channel has an inlet encompassing the first air channel,

wherein the container engagement portion has an upper section having a first diameter and a lower section having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter,

wherein the lower section of the container engagement portion has a substantially hollow bottom and a first set of threading configured to interlock with a second set of threading disposed on an interior surface of the beverage container,

wherein the upper section of the container engagement portion has a cavity centrally disposed therein,

wherein a docking port and the intake opening extend through a floor of the cavity to the first air channel, wherein the motor has a first end configured to electrically connect to the power supply and a second end having the fan blade operably connected thereto, and

wherein the motor extends through the docking port such that the first end is disposed above the floor of the cavity and the fan blade is disposed within the first air channel.

15. The lid of claim 14, wherein the inlet is defined by an interior surface of the container engagement portion and an exterior surface of the duct portion.

16. The lid of claim 14, wherein the second air channel has an outlet disposed within a sidewall of the upper section of the container engagement portion.

17. The lid of claim 14, wherein the duct portion has a first diameter smaller that a second diameter defined by the lower section of the container engagement portion.

18. A lid for use with a beverage container, the lid comprising:

a body defined by a container engagement portion configured to cover an open end of the beverage container and a duct portion extending downwardly from the container engagement portion,

the container engagement portion having an upper section having a first diameter and a lower section having a substantially hollow bottom, a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and a first set of threading configured to interlock with a second set of threading disposed on an interior surface of the beverage container,

wherein the duct portion defines a first air channel and the container engagement portion has an intake opening and a docking port disposed above the first air channel; and

a fan configured to draw air through the intake opening into the first air channel,

the fan comprising;

a motor having a first end configured to electrically connect to a power supply and a second end operably connected to a fan blade,

wherein the motor extends through the docking port such that the first end is disposed above the upper section of the container engagement portion and the fan blade is disposed within the first air channel,

wherein the container engagement portion has a second air channel for receiving air exiting the first air channel and outputting the air outside the lid and the beverage container,

the second air channel having an inlet and an outlet,

wherein the inlet encompasses the first air channel and is defined by an interior surface of the container engagement portion and an exterior surface of the duct portion, and wherein the outlet is disposed within a side wall of the upper section of the container engagement portion.