BEVERAGE CONTAINER

• US 20140034644A1
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Market International LLC (The HAVI Group LP)
• Original Assignee: Pacific Market International LLC (The HAVI Group LP)
• Inventors: Wahl, Andrew C.F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/254.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2266 Means for facilitating drinking, e.g. for infants or invalids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066

Abstract

A beverage container or flask that includes a lower body portion and a selectively openable upper body portion. The upper body portion is configured to include a fastener that allows a user to selectively lock the panel in place by pivoting the upper body portion relative to the remainder of the flask. When the openable upper body portion is locked in place on the remainder of the flask, the upper body portion provides a leak proof seal such that a liquid may be contained in the flask without escaping. When the openable upper body portion is opened, access to an interior volume or compartment of the flask is provided, which facilitates simplified and more effective cleaning of the flask.

Claims

1. A beverage container, comprising:

a lower body portion having one or more panels that form a lower body portion interior volume configured for receiving a liquid therein, the lower body portion comprising an upward facing perimeter portion defining a lower body portion opening configured for allowing access to the lower body portion interior volume;

an upper body portion hingedly coupled to an upper portion of the lower body portion at a first hinge, the upper body portion comprising a downward facing perimeter portion defining an upper body portion opening, the upper body portion being selectively pivotable between a closed position wherein the downward facing perimeter portion of the upper body portion is adjacent to the upward facing perimeter portion of the lower body portion and covers the lower body portion opening, and an open position wherein the downward facing perimeter portion of the upper body portion is spaced apart from the upward facing perimeter portion of the lower body portion to provide access to the upper body portion interior volume and the lower body portion interior volume, the upper body portion further comprising a drinking opening having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than both the lower body portion opening and the upper body portion opening; and

a cap configured for selective coupling with the upper body portion to cover the drinking opening.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the upper body portion further comprises a locking portion configured to engage with the lower body portion to selectively secure the upper body portion in the closed position.

3. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the locking portion is hingedly coupled to the upper body portion at a second hinge.

4. The beverage container of claim 3, wherein the lower body portion comprises an outwardly projecting latch member and the locking portion comprises a corresponding inwardly projecting latch member, the outwardly projecting latch member and the inwardly projecting latch member being configured to enable a snap fit between the locking portion and the lower body portion to secure the locking portion in a locked position.

5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the downward facing perimeter portion of the upper body portion comprises a downward facing seal engagement portion coupled to a seal, wherein the seal is disposed between the downward facing perimeter portion of the upper body portion and the upward facing perimeter portion of the lower body portion when the upper body portion is in the closed position.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, further comprising a cap attachment strap comprising a first end coupled to the cap and a second end opposite the first end pivotally coupled to the upper body portion at a second hinge.

7. The beverage container of claim 6, wherein the cap comprises a groove, and the cap attachment strap comprises a loop portion configured to loosely fit within the groove of the cap to permit the cap to be rotated by a user.

8. The beverage container of claim 6, wherein the upper body portion further comprises a locking portion hingedly coupled thereto at the second hinge and configured to engage with the lower body portion to selectively secure the upper body portion in the closed position.

9. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the cap comprises an upper body portion engagement portion and the upper body portion comprises a neck portion defining the drinking opening, the neck portion comprising a cap engagement portion configured for selective coupling with the upper body portion engagement portion of the cap.

10. The beverage container of claim 9, wherein the upper body portion engagement portion of the cap comprises external threads and the cap engagement portion of the neck portion of the upper body portion comprises internal threads.

11. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lower body portion comprises a bottom panel, left side panel, right side panel, front panel, and rear panel, the uppermost portions of the lower body portion panels forming the upward facing perimeter portion, the left side and right side panels having widths that are greater than the widths of the front and rear panels, and the upper body portion comprises a left side panel, right side panel, front panel, and rear panel, the lowermost portions of the upper body portion panels forming the downward facing perimeter portion, the left side and right side panels of the upper body portion having widths that are greater than the widths of the front and rear panels of the upper body portion.

12. A beverage container, comprising:

a lower body portion comprising a bottom panel, opposite front and back panels each having a width, and opposite left side and right side panels each having a width greater than each of the widths of the front and back panels, together forming a lower body portion interior volume configured for receiving a liquid therein, the lower body portion comprising an upward facing perimeter portion comprising the uppermost portions of the front panel, back panel, left side panel, and right side panel, the upward facing perimeter portion defining a lower body portion opening configured for allowing access to the lower body portion interior volume, the lower body portion further comprising an upper body portion coupling portion disposed near an upper end of the front panel and a locking member engagement portion disposed near an upper end of the back panel;

an upper body portion having a front end, rearward end, left side panel, and right side panel, the upper body portion comprising a downward facing perimeter portion comprising the lowermost portions of the front end, rearward end, left side panel, and right side panel, the downward facing perimeter portion defining an upper body portion opening configured for allowing access to an upper body portion interior volume, the front end of the upper body portion being pivotally coupled to the upper body portion coupling portion of the lower body portion at a first hinge, the upper body portion being selectively pivotable relative to the lower body portion between a closed position wherein the downward facing perimeter portion of the upper body portion is adjacent to the upward facing perimeter portion in a press fit relationship and covers the lower body portion opening, and an open position wherein the rearward end of the upper body portion is spaced apart from upward facing perimeter portion of the lower body portion to provide access to the lower body portion interior volume and the upper body portion interior volume, the rearward portion of the upper body portion further comprising a locking member pivotably coupled thereto at a second hinge, the upper body portion further comprising a drinking opening having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the lower body portion opening and the upper body portion opening; and

a cap configured for selective coupling with the upper body portion to cover the drinking opening.

13. The beverage container of claim 12, wherein the downward facing perimeter portion of the upper body portion comprises a downward facing seal engagement portion coupled to a seal, wherein the seal is disposed between the downward facing perimeter portion of the upper body portion and the upward facing perimeter portion of the lower body portion when the upper body portion is in the closed position.

14. The beverage container of claim 12, further comprising a cap attachment strap comprising a first end coupled to the cap and a second end opposite the first end pivotally coupled to the rearward portion of the upper body portion at the second hinge.

15. The beverage container of claim 14, wherein the cap comprises a groove, and the cap attachment strap comprises a loop portion configured to loosely fit within the groove of the cap to permit the cap to be rotated by a user.

16. A beverage container, comprising:

a lower body portion forming an interior volume configured for receiving a liquid therein, the lower body portion comprising an upward facing opening configured for allowing access to the interior volume, the lower body portion further comprising an upper end portion that includes an upper body portion coupling portion and a locking member engagement portion;

an upper body portion pivotally coupled to the upper body portion coupling portion of the lower body portion at a first hinge, the upper body portion being selectively pivotable between a closed position wherein the upper body portion forms a press fit relationship with the lower body portion and covers the upward facing opening, and an open position wherein a free end of the upper body portion is spaced apart from the upward facing opening to provide access to the interior volume of the lower body portion, the upper body portion further comprising a locking portion pivotably coupled thereto at a second hinge and configured to engage the locking member engagement portion of the lower body, the upper body portion further comprising a drinking opening having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the lower body portion opening and the upper body portion opening; and

a cap configured for selective coupling with the upper body portion to cover the drinking opening.

17. The beverage container of claim 16, wherein the upper body portion comprises a downward facing seal engagement portion coupled to a seal, wherein the seal is disposed between the downward facing seal engagement portion of the upper body portion and an upward facing perimeter portion of the lower body portion defining the upward facing opening when the upper body portion is in the closed position.

18. The beverage container of claim 16, further comprising a cap attachment strap comprising a first end coupled to the cap and a second end opposite the first end pivotally coupled to the upper body portion at the second hinge.

19. The beverage container of claim 18, wherein the cap comprises a groove, and the cap attachment strap comprises a loop portion configured to fit within the groove of the cap to permit the cap to be rotated by a user.

20. The beverage container of claim 16, wherein the cap comprises an upper body portion engagement portion and the upper body portion comprises a neck portion defining the drinking opening, the neck portion comprising a cap engagement portion configured for selective coupling with the upper body portion engagement portion of the cap.

21. The beverage container of claim 20, wherein the upper body portion engagement portion of the cap comprises external threads and the cap engagement portion of the neck portion comprises internal threads.

22. The beverage container of claim 21, wherein the lower body portion comprises an outwardly projecting latch member and the locking member comprises a corresponding inwardly projecting latch member, the outwardly projecting latch member and the inwardly projecting latch member being configured to enable a snap fit between the locking member and the lower body portion to secure the locking member in a locked position.