Beverage accessory device

• US 7,063,432 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Litecubes LLC
• Original Assignee: Carl R. VanderSchuit
• Inventors: VanderSchuit, Carl R
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/998,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20050073833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 362/101, 362/154, 362/318, 362/253, 362/394, 362/205, 362/184, 362/158, 441/16, 43/175, 43/17, 340/604, 340/309.4
• US Class Current: 362/101
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2222 Straw holders therefor
• 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 21/182 with means for amusing or giving information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/08 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/03 rechargeable by exposure to light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/08 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements and reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/04 Provision of filling media
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/30 Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A beverage accessory device includes a housing defining a cavity therein, and a substantially fluid-tight container within the housing. At least light source and at least one power source are both positioned within the container. When connected to the power source, the light source illuminates at least a portion of a liquid when the beverage accessory device is placed in the liquid.

Claims

1. A beverage accessory device comprising a housing defining a cavity therein, a substantially fluid-tight container within the housing and configured to receive at least one power source therein, at least one light source substantially entirely within the container, the light source when connected to the power source illuminating at least a portion of a liquid when the beverage accessory device is placed in the liquid, and a filler within the cavity, the filler maintaining the container in a suspended position within the housing a spaced distance from each sidewall of the housing, the housing including at least one flexible portion such that movement of the flexible portion causes the filler to activate a switching device within the container and, thereby, to switchably connect the light source to the power source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the container encapsulates the light source and at least one conductor electrically connected to the light source such that the container supports and restrains movement of the light source relative to the conductor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes at least one sidewall, and wherein each said sidewall is flexible such that movement of any of said sidewalls causes the filler to activate a switching device within the container and, thereby, to switchably connect the light source to the power source.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the filler comprises a fluid.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the filler comprises air.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible portion has an inner surface to which the container is coupled such that movement of the flexible portion activates a switching device within the container and, thereby, to switchably connect the light source to the power source.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising electrical terminals external to the housing for switchably connecting the light source to a power source when the beverage accessory device is placed in a liquid and the liquid electrically connects said terminals to one another.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the electrical terminals are defined by at least one conductor extending from within the container through the cavity and external to the housing.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to produce thematic light.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the housing is configured as a slice of fruit, and the device produces light having a color corresponding to a natural color of the fruit.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least two fillers within the cavity, each said filler having a different density so as to substantially separate within the cavity, and an object configured to be suspended at about an interface separating the fillers.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the housing, the container, and a filler within the cavity includes at least a portion reactive to ultraviolet light, and wherein the light source comprises at least one ultraviolet light source for directing ultraviolet light at the ultraviolet-reactive portion.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising gel within the cavity external to the container.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing integrally defines at least a portion of the container.

15. A beverage accessory device comprising a housing defining a cavity therein, a cartridge within the housing, the cartridge defining thereunder a light source chamber and a power source chamber such that the light source chamber and power source chamber are substantially sealed from the cavity, the power source chamber configured to receive at least one power source therein, at least one light source within the light source chamber, the light source when connected to the power source illuminating at least a portion of a liquid when the beverage accessory device is placed in the liquid, and a lid engaged with the housing such that fluid-tight integrity is maintained within the housing, the lid including a lid chamber mating with the power source chamber to contain the power source therein.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the cartridge and the housing cooperate to define the power source chamber.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the housing defines at least one groove within the power source chamber, the groove engaging at least one conductor electrically connected to the light source.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the housing defines first, second and third grooves within the power source chamber, each said groove engaging a different conductor electrically connected to the light source.

19. The device of claim 15, further comprising at least one channel defined by the cartridge and in communication with the light source chamber, the channel engaging a conductor electrically connected to the light source.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the cartridge defines thereunder at least two channels in communication with the light source chamber, each said channel engaging a different conductor electrically connected to the light source.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein the power-source chamber is sized to permit the power source to reciprocally translate therein for switchably connecting the light source to the power source.

22. The device of claim 15, further comprising electrical terminals external to the housing for switchably connecting the light source to a power source when the beverage accessory device is placed in a liquid and the liquid electrically connects said terminals to one another.

23. The device of claim 15, further comprising a push-button switching device for switchably connecting the light source to a power source.

24. The device of claim 15, further comprising a filler within the cavity.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the filler comprises a fluid.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the filler comprises air.

27. The device of claim 15, further comprising gel within the cavity, and wherein the cartridge substantially seals the light-source chamber and the power-source chamber from the gel within the cavity.

28. The device of claim 15, further comprising light-altering particles within the cavity including at least one or more of glitter, reflective particles, refractive particles, translucent particles, glass-like prisms, colored particles, faceted particles, and clear particles.

29. The device of claim 15, further comprising a filler within the cavity in which light-altering particles are suspended.

30. The device of claim 15, further comprising a beaded material within the cavity.

31. The device of claim 15, further comprising light-altering particles within the cavity, and wherein the light-altering particles comprise gel.

32. The device of claim 15, wherein the outer features of the illuminatable beverage accessory device simulate the contours of a real ice cube.

33. The device of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises a substantially transparent material, whereby the housing is not readily visible when the beverage accessory device is within a liquid and the light source is emitting light and illuminating at least a portion of the liquid.

34. A beverage accessory device comprising a housing defining a cavity therein, the housing including at least one sidewall, at least one light source, a substantially fluid-tight container within the housing and configured to receive at least one power source therein, the container encapsulating the light source and at least one conductor electrically connected to the light source such that the container supports and restrains movement of the light source relative to the conductor, and a filler within the cavity, the filler maintaining the container in a suspended position within the housing a spaced distance from each said sidewall, each said sidewall being flexible such that movement of any of said sidewalls causes the filler to activate a switching device within the container and, thereby, to switchably connect the light source to the power source, the light source when connected to the power source illuminating at least a portion of a liquid when the beverage accessory device is placed in the liquid.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the filler comprises gel.

36. A beverage accessory device for use within a beverage receptacle, the beverage accessory device comprising a housing, at least one electric light source within the housing, gel within the housing, and a lid engaged with the housing such that fluid-tight integrity is substantially maintained within the housing, the lid including a lid chamber mating with a power source chamber to contain at least one power source therein, and at least one groove engagingly receiving at least one conductor electrically connected to at least one of the electric light source and the power source, whereby the electric light source is operable for illuminating at least a portion of a liquid within the beverage receptacle when the beverage accessory device is within the beverage receptacle.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the outer features of the illuminatable beverage accessory device simulate the contours of a real ice cube.

38. The device of claim 36, wherein the electric light source is operable for brightly illuminating at least a portion of an iced liquid within the beverage receptacle when the beverage accessory device is within the beverage receptacle.

39. The device of claim 36, further comprising a plurality of light-altering particles within the housing for receiving and altering light emitted by the electric light source by at least one or more of refracting, reflecting, diffracting, dispersing, and diffusing such that the altered light illuminates at least a portion of a liquid within the beverage receptacle when the beverage accessory device is within the beverage receptacle.