Insulated beverage container

• US 20100072268A1
• Filed: 07/22/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Johnson, Matthew J. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Andrew Johnson, Matthew J. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Matthew J., Johnson, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,025,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/403
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/00 Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/20 External fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3869 formed with double walls, i.e. hollow
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3876 insulating sleeves or jackets for cans, bottles, barrels, etc.

Abstract

The insulated beverage container is a container, such as a coffee cup, providing thermal insulation for the user'"'"'s hand. The container includes a vertically extending annular wall and a base, forming a beverage-receiving cup. A plurality of tubes are secured to an outer surface of the annular wall. Each tube is hollow and defines an air passage therein, and is further elongated along the vertical direction, having upper and lower air flow apertures formed therethrough. In use, heat generated by the beverage heats the air contained within the tubes. As the air rises within the tubes, ambient air at a lower temperature is drawn through the lower air flow apertures and the heated air is expelled through the upper air flow apertures, maintaining a flow of cooled air from the environment through the tubes.

Claims

1. An insulated beverage container, comprising:

an annular wall having an upper end and a lower end, the annular wall being elongated along a vertical direction;

a base attached to the lower end of the annular wall, the base having an upper surface, the upper surface and the annular wall defining a cup adapted for receiving and containing fluids, the cup having an outer surface; and

a plurality of tubes attached to the outer surface of the cup, each the tubes being hollow and defining an air passage therein, each of the tubes being elongated along the vertical direction and having upper and lower air flow apertures formed therein.

2. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the tubes is substantially rectangular in cross section.

3. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of tubes are joined together.

4. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 3, wherein the plurality of tubes are formed from a unitary, annular, corrugated band.

5. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 1, wherein each said tube has sealed upper and lower ends and an exterior face, said tube having an upper aperture and a lower aperture formed through the exterior face of each said tube, respectively, adjacent the sealed upper and lower ends thereof.

6. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 5, further comprising a smooth and continuous annular outer band at least partially covering the exterior face of each said tube.

7. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 6, wherein the smooth and continuous annular outer band is adapted for having indicia formed thereon.

8. An insulated beverage container, comprising:

an annular wall having an upper end and a lower end, the annular wall being elongated along a vertical direction;

a base attached to the lower end of the annular wall, an upper surface of the base and the annular wall defining a cup adapted for receiving and containing fluids, the cup having an outer surface and an inner surface; and

a plurality of tubes attached to the inner surface of the cup, each the tubes being hollow and defining an air passage therein, each of the tubes being elongated along the vertical direction and having upper and lower air flow apertures formed therein.

9. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 8, wherein each of the tubes is substantially rectangular in cross section.

10. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 8, wherein the plurality of tubes are joined together.

11. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 10, wherein the plurality of tubes are formed from a unitary, annular, corrugated band.

12. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 8, wherein each said tube has sealed upper and lower ends and an interior, said annular wall having a plurality of upper and lower apertures formed therein in communication with the respective interiors of said tubes.

13. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 12, wherein said annular wall is adapted for having indicia formed thereon.

14. An insulated beverage container, comprising:

an annular wall having an upper end and a lower end, the annular wall being elongated along a vertical direction;

a base attached to the lower end of the annular wall, an upper surface of the base and the annular wall defining a cup adapted for receiving and containing fluids, the cup having an outer surface and an inner surface; and

a plurality of tubes attached to the inner surface of the cup, each the tubes being hollow and defining an air passage therein, each of the tubes being elongated along the vertical direction.

15. The insulated beverage container as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said tubes has upper and lower air flow apertures formed therein.