BEVERAGE BOTTLE WITH ACCESSORIES

• US 20090080180A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dorcy International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pacific Pathway, Inc.
• Inventors: Bertken, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/101
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2238 with illumination means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2244 with sound emitting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0228 Containers joined together by screw-, bayonet-, snap-fit or the like, B65D21/0211, B65D21/0231 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/04 Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A configurable beverage container comprises a container body defining a central axis and bounded by non-opaque sides, an openable top, and a bottom defining a cavity in which a liquid can be retained. The container body includes a connector, such as a set of female thread portions, located on a lower end of the container body adjacent the container body bottom. The configurable container further includes an accessory having an accessory connector (e.g. male thread) located on a top end thereof and another (e.g. female thread) on a bottom thereof, with the top end configured to be coupled to the container body connector along a long axis of the container body. Examples of accessories include a first-aid kit, a GPS, a power source, and a flashlight. The flashlight accessory may further include an inward-shining light adapted to shine into the beverage container cavity and turn it into a lantern. Multiple accessories may be coupled in serial fashion in any configuration.

Claims

1. A configurable beverage container comprising:

a container body defining a central axis and bounded by sides, an openable top, and a bottom defining a cavity in which a liquid can be retained;

a container body connector located on a lower end of the container body adjacent the container body bottom; and

a first accessory having a first accessory connector located on a top end thereof and configured to be coupled to the container body connector along a long axis of the container body.

2. The configurable beverage container of claim 1, wherein the container body sides are non-opaque so as to allow light to shine through the sides.

3. The configurable beverage container of claim 2, wherein the first accessory includes an inwardly-facing light source configured to shine upward into the cavity of the container body and outward through the non-opaque sides of the container body to thereby illuminate liquid stored within the cavity.

4. The configurable beverage container of claim 3, wherein the first accessory further includes an outwardly-facing light source arranged in the first accessory on a side opposite the top end on which the first accessory connector is located.

5. The configurable beverage container of claim 1, wherein the first accessory is a flashlight having an outwardly-facing light source.

6. The configurable beverage container of claim 1, wherein the first accessory is one or more taken from the group consisting of a radio, compass, GPS, speaker, storage unit, clock, pedometer, power-generating unit, and alarm.

7. The configurable beverage container of claim 6, wherein the first accessory is a storage unit having medicines and/or first aid supplies stored therein.

8. The configurable beverage container of claim 1, wherein the first accessory includes a connector located on a bottom end thereof, the container further including a second accessory having a second accessory connector located on a top end thereof and configured to be coupled to the connector located on the bottom end of the first accessory along a long axis of the container body.

9. The configurable beverage container of claim 8, wherein the first and second accessories are a flashlight and a speaker.

10. The configurable beverage container of claim 8, wherein the first and second accessories are a flashlight and a radio.

11. The configurable beverage container of claim 1, wherein the container body connector and first accessory connector are complementary threaded portions configured to be coupled to one another.

12. The configurable beverage container of claim 11, wherein the container body connector is a female threaded portion formed on inside walls forming a periphery of the bottom portion of the container body, and the first accessory connector is a male threaded portion formed on outside walls forming a periphery of a top portion of the first accessory.

13. A configurable beverage container comprising

a cylindrical container body defining a central axis and bounded by non-opaque cylindrical sides, an openable top, and a bottom defining a cavity in which a liquid can be retained;

and

a first accessory having a first accessory connector located on a top end thereof and configured to be coupled to the bottom of container body along a long axis of the container body,

wherein the first accessory includes a flashlight having an outwardly-facing light source and a lantern having an inwardly-facing light source configured to cast light up into the cavity and out the non-opaque cylindrical sides of the container body.

14. The configurable beverage container of claim 13, further including:

a container body connector located adjacent the bottom of the container body defined by female threaded portions formed on inside walls forming a periphery of the bottom of the container body; and

a first accessory connector located adjacent the top end of the first accessory defined by male threaded portions formed on outside walls forming a periphery of the top portion of the first accessory,

wherein the male threaded portion of the first accessory couple to the female threaded portion of the container body to form an aggregate device bound by a common cylindrical periphery.

15. The configurable beverage container of claim 14, further including a connector located adjacent a bottom end of the first accessory defined by female threaded portion formed on inside walls forming a periphery of the bottom end of the first accessory, wherein the female threaded portion of the first accessory is identical to the female threaded portion of the container body.

16. The configurable beverage container of claim 15, the container further including a second accessory having a second accessory connector located on a top end thereof and configured to be coupled to the connector located on the bottom end of the first accessory along a long axis of the container body, the second accessory connector is a male threaded portion formed on outside walls forming a periphery of a top portion of the second accessory, and wherein the male threaded portion of the second accessory connector is identical to the male threaded portion of the first accessory connector so that the first and second accessories can be interchanged.

17. A method for configuring a beverage bottle with accessories, the method comprising:

coupling one or more accessories to a beverage bottle along a long axis of a beverage bottle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the coupling step includes threading one end of an accessory to complementary threaded portions formed on one end of the beverage bottle to form an aggregate device defining a common peripheral boundary.

19. The method of claim 17, further including:

orienting a first light source within an accessory coupled to the beverage bottle to shine upward into a cavity of the beverage bottle and out non-opaque sides of the bottle to form a diffuse lantern effect.

20. The method of claim 19, further including:

orienting a second light source within the accessory to shine outward away from the beverage bottle cavity, opposite to the first light source, to form a flashlight effect; and

configuring a button on the accessory to actuate both the first light source and the second light source.