Convertible Beverage Container and Drinking Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing

• US 20140165847A1
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott F. Suprina
• Original Assignee: Scott F. Suprina
• Inventors: Suprina, Scott F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,504,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2255 Details related to the connection between the liquid containing part and the supporting part
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/02 Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents thermally-insulated containers B65D81/38, A47J41/00; feeding-bottles A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3205 Separate rigid or semi-rigid containers joined to each other at their external surfaces B65D81/3288 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/72 for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A convertible beverage container includes a pod configured to hold an otherwise separate container containing a beverage or ingredient for a beverage (such as a nip bottle of alcohol) in such a way that the pod with container can be distributed as a unit and is convertible to an article of stemware in which a top portion of the pod that secures the container becomes the foot of the stemware, the container becomes the stem of the stemware, and a bottom portion of the pod can be attached to the top of the container to become the bowl of the stemware.

Claims

1. A convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus comprising:

a first pod portion configured to secure a bottom end of a container and form a wider base for the container; and

a second pod portion configured to removably attach to the first pod portion, the second pod portion having an open orifice at a drinking end and an attachment region oppositely disposed to the drinking end, the attachment region configured to fixably engage to a mouth end of the container to form a stemware drinking vessel in which the first pod portion forms the foot of the stemware drinking vessel, the container forms the stem of the stemware drinking vessel, and the second pod portion forms the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the container secured to the first pod portion, wherein the container contains a beverage or an ingredient for a beverage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second pod portion has a volume greater than the container.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pod portion and the second pod portion form a pod when the first and second pod portions are attached to one another.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second pod portion contains an ingredient for a beverage.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second pod portion further includes a removable seal to hold the ingredient in the second pod portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pod portion includes a hollow cavity containing at least one of (1) an ingredient for the beverage, (2) a drink-related article, or (3) a sanitary-related article.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attachment region of the second pod portion is threaded to fixably engage to the mouth end of the container.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container is a nip bottle containing alcohol.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container is made of a material of at least one of glass, plastic, or metal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pod portion and the second pod portion are plastic.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ingredient contained in the second pod portion relates to a type of mixed drink from among a plurality of mixed drink types, and wherein the second pod portion is shaped as a bowl section of a glass used for the type of mixed drink.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second pod portion contains an ingredient that, when mixed with the contents of the container, form a type of mixed drink from among a plurality of mixed drink types, and wherein the second portion is shaped as a bowl section of a glass used for the type of mixed drink.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second pod portion is shaped as an ornament.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second pod portion is configured to fixably attach to the first pod portion by at least one of a screw-fit, a press-fit, a snap-fit, or a locking tab.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pod portion is fixably attached to the base end by at least one of press-fit, adhesive, indentation, ultrasonic welding, or heat fusion.

17. A method of manufacturing a convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a base cover member configured to accommodate a base end of a container, the base cover member forming a wider base thereof; and

attaching a bowl member to the base cover member to form a closed pod, the bowl member having an open orifice at a drinking end and an attachment region oppositely disposed to the drinking end, the attachment region being configured to fixably engage to a mouth end of the container to form a stemware drinking vessel in which the first pod portion forms the foot of the stemware drinking vessel, the container forms the stem of the stemware drinking vessel, and the second pod portion forms the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

attaching the base end of a container to the base cover member.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the container contains a beverage or an ingredient for a beverage.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the container is a nip bottle.

21. A method of converting a convertible beverage container to a stemware drinking vessel, the convertible beverage container having a pod fixably attached to a container, the pod having a first pod portion and a second pod portion removably attached thereto, the second pod portion having an open orifice at a drinking end and an attachment region oppositely disposed to the drinking end, the attachment region configured to fixably engage to a mouth end of the container, the method comprising:

disengaging the second pod portion from the first pod portion; and

fixably engaging the attachment region of the second pod portion to the mouth end of the container to form the stemware drinking vessel in which the first pod portion forms the foot of the stemware drinking vessel, the container forms the stem of the stemware drinking vessel, and the second pod portion forms the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel.