Container for liquids

• US 9,681,771 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marc Heinke
• Original Assignee: Precidio Design, Inc.
• Inventors: Herling, Nicholas, Heinke, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Quang D
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISKRA, JOSEPH W
• Application Number:
  US13/416,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20130233178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 99322, 99323, 99279, 99317, 99316, 99318, 99284, 99391, 220521, 2205922, 22059227, 210474
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/18 Apparatus in which ground coffee or tea-leaves are immersed in the hot liquid in the beverage container
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0077 made of two vessels inserted in each other

Abstract

A container is disclosed that comprises an outer vessel having an inner cavity, and an inner vessel having an inner cavity. The inner vessel and outer vessel are configured for receiving all or substantially all of the inner vessel through an opening in the outer vessel such that in operation, said opening of the inner vessel may be releasably positioned proximate the opening of the outer vessel. The container also includes a lid for releasably enclosing said inner vessel within said outer vessel. The outer container may be made from a material called TRITAN and the inner vessel may be made from glass. A seal may be provided between the top to the inner vessel and the lid.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

an outer vessel having an inner cavity, and an edge defining an opening of said inner cavity of said outer vessel;

an inner vessel having an inner cavity, and an edge defining an opening of said inner cavity of said inner vessel;

a bottom impact absorption pad configured to engage a bottom surface of said inner vessel;

said inner vessel and said outer vessel being configured for receiving all or substantially all of said inner vessel through said opening of said inner cavity of said outer vessel into said inner cavity of said outer vessel with said bottom impact absorption pad interposed between said inner vessel and said outer vessel such that in operation, said opening of said inner cavity of said inner vessel may be releasably positioned proximate said opening of said inner cavity of said outer vessel;

a lid assembly, comprising a top impact absorption seal, a lid configured to removably attach to said outer vessel and thereby urge said top impact absorption seal against said inner vessel to seal against said edge of said inner vessel and said edge of said outer vessel, and a strainer removably held in said lid, sized and configured to allow said strainer to extend into said inner vessel when attached to said lid.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner vessel is made at least in part from a material that is safe for storage and use when holding a liquid beverage and said outer vessel is made from a material that is relatively impact resistant.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said outer vessel is made at least in part from a material that is safe for storage and use when holding a liquid beverage.

4. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said outer vessel is made at least in part from a material selected from polyesters, polyethylenes, polypropylenes (PP), polycarbonates (PC), polyacrylates, polystyrenes (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and derivatives or combinations thereof.

5. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the outer vessel is made from a material comprising a copolyester.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inner vessel is made at least in part from a material selected from glasses and ceramics.

7. A container as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inner vessel is made from glass.

8. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner vessel is made from glass.

9. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom impact absorption pad is made from an elastic material.

10. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said top impact absorption seal is made from an elastic material.

11. A container as claimed in claim 9 wherein said top impact absorption seal is made from an elastic material.

12. A container as claimed in claim 10 wherein said inner vessel may be held in compression between said top impact absorption seal and said bottom impact absorption pad.

13. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lid has a spout, said spout being in fluid communication with the inner cavity of said inner vessel, when said inner vessel is received within the inner cavity of said outer vessel and is contained therein by said lid assembly.

14. A container as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a cap configured to be releasably connected to said lid to selectively open and close said spout of said lid.

15. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said container is operable such that when said inner vessel is received within said inner cavity of said outer vessel and said opening of said inner cavity of said inner vessel is positioned proximate said opening of said inner cavity of said outer vessel, a top edge portion of said inner vessel abuts an upper portion of said outer vessel to provide lateral stabilization of said inner vessel relative to said outer vessel.

16. A container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a lower stabilization device positioned proximate and interposed between a bottom portion of said inner vessel and a bottom portion of said outer vessel, and wherein said container is operable such that when said inner vessel is received within said inner cavity of said outer vessel and said opening of said inner cavity of said inner vessel is positioned proximate said opening of said inner cavity of said outer vessel, said lower stabilization device is operable to provide lateral stabilization of said inner vessel relative to said outer vessel.

17. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner vessel is made substantially from glass and said outer vessel is made substantially from a copolyester.

18. A container as claimed in claim 17 wherein said lid is made from polypropylene.

19. A container as claimed in claim 18 wherein said top impact absorption seal is made from silicone.

20. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said top impact absorption seal is secured to said lid and wherein said strainer is configured for releasable connection to said top impact absorption seal.

21. A container as claimed in claim 20 wherein said strainer is a tea strainer.

22. The container of claim 1, wherein said top impact absorption seal comprises a spout seal, having a drinking neck extending therefrom.

23. The container of claim 22, wherein said spout seal comprises an annular ring to mount said strainer in said lid assembly.

24. A container comprising:

an outer vessel having an inner cavity, said outer vessel having an edge defining an opening;

an inner vessel having an inner cavity, said inner vessel having an edge defining an opening;

said inner vessel and said outer vessel being configured for receiving all or substantially all of said inner vessel through said opening of said outer vessel into said inner cavity of said outer vessel such that in operation, said opening of said inner vessel may be releasably positioned proximate said opening of said outer vessel;

a lid removably attachable to said outer vessel for releasably enclosing said inner vessel within said outer vessel, said lid having an inner cavity, and for enclosing said inner cavity of said outer vessel when said inner vessel is not located within said outer vessel;

a sealing device disposed within said inner cavity of said lid to overlie said edge of said inner vessel and said edge of said outer vessel, said sealing device being configured for providing (a) a seal with said edge of said inner vessel when said inner vessel is located within said inner cavity of said outer vessel and (b) a seal with said edge of said outer vessel when said inner vessel is not located within said inner cavity of said outer vessel;

a strainer removably held and supported in said lid, sized and configured to allow said strainer to extend into said inner vessel when attached to said lid and when said inner vessel is located within said outer vessel, and to be removed from said container when held by said lid.

25. A method of using a container, said container comprising:

an outer vessel having an inner cavity, said outer vessel having an edge defining an opening;

an inner vessel having an inner cavity, said inner vessel having an edge defining an opening;

said inner vessel and said outer vessel being configured for receiving all or substantially all of said inner vessel through said opening of said outer vessel into said inner cavity of said outer vessel such that in operation, said opening of said inner vessel may be releasably positioned proximate said opening of said outer vessel;

a lid assembly comprising a lid for releasably enclosing said inner vessel within said outer vessel;

a seal configured to overlie said edge of said outer vessel and said edge of said inner vessel to form a seal therewith and a strainer removeably attached to said lid to extend into said inner vessel;

wherein said method comprises;

removing said lid assembly from said outer vessel, wherein said removing comprises breaking a seal between said seal and said edge of said inner vessel;

removing said strainer from said lid assembly;

removing said inner vessel from said outer vessel through said opening of said outer vessel;

removably attaching said lid assembly to said outer vessel such that said seal forms a seal with said edge of said outer vessel.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said container further comprises a bottom impact absorption pad interposed between an inner surface of a bottom wall of said outer vessel and an outer surface of a bottom wall of said inner vessel and wherein said method further comprises mounting said bottom impact absorption pad at said bottom wall of said inner vessel.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26 wherein said container further comprises a top impact absorption pad interposed between a top portion of said inner vessel and said lid assembly, when said inner vessel is substantially contained within said inner cavity of said outer vessel, and wherein said attaching said lid assembly also comprises securing said inner vessel between said top and bottom impact absorption pads.

28. A beverage container convertible between single and double walled configurations, comprising:

an outer flask defining an outer container cavity, and having an edge defining an opening extending into said outer container cavity, said outer cavity for holding a beverage in said single walled configuration;

an inner flask removably inserted into said outer container cavity in spaced relationship with said outer flask in said double walled configuration, said inner flask defining an inner container cavity and having an edge defining a opening into said inner container cavity, said inner container cavity for holding a beverage in said double walled configuration;

a lid assembly comprising a lid, at least one seal and a strainer removably held and supported in said lid, sized and configured to allow said strainer to extend into said inner flask when attached to said lid, said lid assembly removably attachable to said outer flask with said at least one seal configured to seal said lid with said edge of said inner flask in said double walled configuration, and with said strainer to extending into said inner vessel, said lid assembly further configured to seal said lid with said edge of said outer flask, with said strainer removed from said lid assembly, and said inner flask removed from said outer container cavity in said single walled configuration.

29. The beverage container of claim 28, wherein said lid comprises a drinking opening for dispensing a beverage from said inner container cavity in said double walled configuration and for dispensing a beverage from said outer container cavity in said single walled configuration.

30. The beverage container of claim 28, wherein said lid assembly comprises a single seal positioned above both said edge of said outer flask and said edge of said inner flask, wherein said lid is operable to seal with said edge of said outer flask or said edge of said inner flask by urging said seal against said edge of said outer flask or said edge of said inner flask.