Interactive cup assembly

• US 20060277817A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Original Assignee: Playtex Products Incorporated (Edgewell Personal Care Company)
• Inventors: Renz, Charles J., Rousso, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,501,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 43/44.200
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2244 with sound emitting means

Abstract

A cup assembly is provided. The cup assembly is interactive by providing stimuli when the cup body is pressed by a user. The cup can provide sound emitted from an electronics module in a bottom cap. The cup body can use conductive ink to create a circuit for actuation of the sound.

Claims

1. A bottle assembly comprising:

a cup having a body with an outer surface and defining a volume, the outer surface having at least two lines of conductive ink thereon, the at least two lines defining graphics; and

a bottom portion connected to the body and housing an electronics module connected to the at least two lines, wherein the electronics module emits a stimuli when the at least two lines are simultaneously contacted by a user.

2. The bottle assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion is removably connected to the body.

3. The bottle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lid removably connected to the body.

4. The bottle assembly of claim 3, further comprising a valve connected to the lid for selectively isolating the volume.

5. The bottle assembly of claim 1, wherein the stimuli is sound.

6. The bottle assembly of claim 5, wherein the sound is speech.

7. The bottle assembly of claim 1, wherein the body has a bottom wall, wherein a portion of the at least two lines are formed in a circular pattern along the bottom wall, and wherein the bottom portion has electrical contacts that contact the circular pattern.

8. The bottle assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion is removably connected to the body via a bayonet connection.

9. The bottle assembly of claim 3, wherein the lid is connected to the body via threads.

10. The bottle assembly of claim 4, wherein the lid has a spout.

11. A bottle assembly comprising:

a cup having a body with an outer surface and defining a volume, the outer surface having at least two lines of conductive ink thereon, the at least two lines defining graphics; and

a bottom portion connected to the body and housing an electronics module connected to the at least two lines, wherein the electronics module emits a sound when the at least two lines are simultaneously contacted by a user, and wherein the bottom portion is removably connected to the body.

12. The bottle assembly of claim 11, further comprising a lid removably connected to the body.

13. The bottle assembly of claim 11, further comprising a valve connected to the lid for selectively isolating the volume.

14. The bottle assembly of claim 11, wherein the sound is speech.

15. The bottle assembly of claim 11, wherein the body has a bottom wall, wherein a portion of the at least two lines are formed in a circular pattern along the bottom wall, and wherein the bottom portion has electrical contacts that contact the circular pattern.

16. The bottle assembly of claim 11, wherein the bottom portion is removably connected to the body via a bayonet connection.

17. The bottle assembly of claim 12, wherein the lid is connected to the body via threads.

18. The bottle assembly of claim 13, wherein the lid has a spout.

19. A method of providing stimuli for a child to drink from a bottle assembly, the method comprising:

providing a cup having graphics made from at least two lines of conductive ink that define an open circuit;

closing the circuit by a child'"'"'s hand when holding the bottle assembly; and

emitting the stimuli in response to the closed circuit.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising recording speech and emitting the speech as the stimuli.