Container with thermochromic indicator

• US 20120152781A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kevin Alan Tussy
• Original Assignee: Kevin Alan Tussy
• Inventors: Tussy, Kevin Alan
• Application Number:
  US13/065,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20120152781A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/459.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/225 vessels with thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/165 Cylindrical cans
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/12 Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/00 Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for closure-securing elements B65D45/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2517/0052 Prizes, tokens, badges or other information carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/54 Cards, coupons, or other inserts or accessories opening devices B65D75/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 19/00 Calibrated capacity measures for fluids or fluent solid material, e.g. measuring cups
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/247 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/08 with food recipients having temperature sensing capability

Abstract

A beverage container having at least one surface visible to a user of the beverage container and a pattern formed of a thermochromic material that provides information to the user of the beverage container. In an exemplary embodiment, the information provided to the user includes the amount of Calories that will be used by a typical human that drinks the entire quantity of the beverage in the container at its current temperature.

Claims

1. A beverage container comprising:

at least one surface visible to a user of the container; and

one or more thermochromic materials on the at least one surface visible to the user, wherein the one or more thermochromic materials indicate the approximate number of calories that will be burned by a typical human that drinks the entire contents of the beverage container at its current temperature.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein said beverage container is an aluminum can.

3. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein said beverage container is a cup or mug.

4. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein said beverage container is a bottle.

5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein said beverage container is a drink pouch.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein said one or more thermochromic materials include at least one thermochromic material made using a leuco dye.

7. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein said one or more thermochromic materials include at least one thermochromic material made using a liquid crystal material.

8. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the one or more thermochromic materials activate at a range of different temperatures.

9. The beverage container of claim 8, wherein the one or more thermochromic materials are arranged vertically on the beverage container such that they activate from bottom to top as the temperature of the beverage container decreases.

10. The beverage container of claim 8, wherein the one or more thermochromic materials are arranged vertically on the beverage container such that they activate from bottom to top as the temperature of the beverage container decreases.

11. The beverage container of claim 8, wherein the one or more thermochromic materials activate at temperatures ranging from room temperature to near freezing.