Convertible Beverage Container and Drinking Apparatus and Method of Manufacturing

• US 20170071378A1
• Filed: 11/28/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• 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 10,455,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 for use with a second container, the convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus comprising:

a first pod portion configured to secure a bottom end of the second container to the first pod portion to form a base for the second container that is wider than the bottom end of the second 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 sealing cap at a mouth end of the second container to form a stemware drinking vessel having a foot, a stem, and a bowl in which the first pod portion forms the foot of the stemware drinking vessel, the second 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, 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.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising the second container secured to the pod, wherein the second container includes contents comprising a beverage or an ingredient for a beverage.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second pod portion forming the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel has a volume greater than the second container.

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 second container is a nip bottle containing alcohol.

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

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

11. 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, wherein the type of mixed drink is associated with a specific type of drinking glass having a specific bowl shape, and wherein the second pod portion is configured to have the specific bowl shape for the specific type of drinking glass associated with the type of mixed drink.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second pod portion contains an ingredient that, when mixed with the contents of the second container, form a type of mixed drink from among a plurality of mixed drink types, wherein the type of mixed drink is associated with a specific type of drinking glass having a specific bowl shape, and wherein the second pod portion is configured to have the specific bowl shape for the specific type of drinking glass associated with the type of mixed drink.

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

14. 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.

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

16. A method of manufacturing a convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus for use with a second container, the method comprising:

providing a base cover member configured to secure a bottom end of the second container to the base cover member to form a base for the second container that is wider than the bottom end of the second container; 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 sealing cap at a mouth end of the second container to form a stemware drinking vessel having a foot, a stem, and a bowl in which the base cover member forms the foot of the stemware drinking vessel, the second container forms the stem of the stemware drinking vessel, and the bowl member forms the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

attaching the bottom end of the second container to the base cover member.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second container contains a beverage or an ingredient for a beverage.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the second container is a nip bottle.

20. A method of converting a convertible beverage container to a stemware drinking vessel, the convertible beverage container having a first pod portion and a second pod portion removably attached thereto, the first pod portion configured to secure a bottom end of a second container to the first pod portion to form a base for the second container that is wider than the bottom end of the second container, 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 one of (1) a mouth end of the second container or (2) a sealing cap at the mouth end of the second container, the method comprising:

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

assembling the first pod portion, the second pod portion, and the second container into a stemware drinking vessel having a foot, a stem, and a bowl, wherein the bottom end of the second container is secured by the first pod portion to form the foot of the stemware drinking vessel, the second container forms the stem of the stemware drinking vessel, and the mouth end or sealing cap of the second container is fixably engaged by the attachment region of the second pod portion to form the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel.