Container for liquids and set for making the same

• US 9,516,974 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• 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): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US14/193,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20140174965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 993/22, 993/23, 993/17, 993/18, 993/19, 993/16, 992/84, 993/91, 220/521, 220/592.2, 220/592.27, 210/474
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0626 with means for securing the filter holder to the beverage container
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/0636 suspended from the top of the beverage container so as to remain in contact with the prepared infusion tea eggs A47G19/16
• 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 31/20 having immersible, e.g. rotatable, filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0077 made of two vessels inserted in each other

Abstract

Components are disclosed as part of a set which may be used to form containers. Components of the set may be interchangeably substituted for one another so that various different possible containers may be made from a set. A set may include an outer vessel having a first cavity, an inner vessel receivable in the first cavity and having a second cavity, a lid assembly removably attachable to the outer vessel, an accessory, a releasable attachment mechanism to removably attach the accessory to the lid assembly so the accessory is received in the first cavity when the lid assembly is attached to the outer vessel, and at least one variant component interchangeable with one of the inner vessel, the lid assembly and the accessory.

Claims

1. A container kit, comprising:

an outer vessel having a first cavity, said first cavity having an opening;

an inner vessel having a second cavity, said second cavity having an opening, said inner vessel configured to be receivable in said first cavity such that said opening of said second cavity is positioned proximate said opening of said first cavity;

a lid assembly adapted to be removably attachable to said outer vessel;

a plurality of different interchangeable accessories;

a releasable attachment mechanism operable to interchangeably and removably attach each of said plurality of different interchangeable accessories to said lid assembly such that any selected one of said plurality of different interchangeable accessories may be releasably attached to said lid assembly such that said selected accessory is received in said first cavity when said lid assembly is attached to said outer vessel; and

at least one variant inner vessel comprising a wall defining a second cavity, said wall comprising a plurality of wall openings in fluid communication with said second cavity, said variant inner vessel configured to be receivable in said first cavity and interchangeable with said inner vessel so that a selected one of said inner vessel and said variant inner vessel can be received in said first cavity.

2. The container kit of claim 1, wherein said releasable attachment mechanism comprises an accessory retainer associated with said lid assembly and a retention member associated with each one of said accessories, said accessory retainer configured to interchangeably releasably attach to each said retention member of each of said plurality of different interchangeable accessories.

3. The container kit of claim 2, wherein said retention member of each of said plurality of different interchangeable accessories comprises a rim.

4. The container kit of claim 3, wherein said accessory retainer comprises a clip having a shape complementary to said rims of said retention members.

5. The container kit of claim 4, wherein each of said rims is annular in shape.

6. The container kit of claim 5, wherein said accessory retainer comprises a plurality of said clips.

7. The container kit of claim 1, wherein said lid assembly comprises a lid configured to be removably attachable to said outer vessel, and a seal assembly received in said lid to seal said opening of said first cavity and said opening of said second cavity when said lid is attached to said outer vessel.

8. The container kit of claim 1, wherein said plurality of different interchangeable accessories comprise a first strainer with holes of a first size, a second strainer with holes of a second size, different from said first size, an activated carbon filter, and an agitator for promoting mixing.

9. A container kit, comprising:

an outer vessel having a first cavity, said first cavity having an opening;

two interchangeable inner vessels, each having an second cavity having an opening, wherein each one of said interchangeable inner vessels is configured to be receivable in said first cavity so that a selected one of said interchangeable inner vessels can be received in said first cavity with said opening of the second cavity of that inner vessel positioned proximate said opening of said first cavity;

a lid assembly adapted to be removably attachable to said outer vessel;

a releasable attachment mechanism operable to removably attach an accessory to said lid assembly so that said accessory is received in said first cavity when said lid assembly is attached to said outer vessel,

wherein one of said two interchangeable inner vessels is of a different materials or has a different shape than the other.

10. The container kit of claim 9, wherein said releasable attachment mechanism comprises a rim of said accessory and a complementary retainer on said lid assembly.

11. The container kit of claim 9, wherein each of said inner vessels comprises a wall defining said second cavity, said wall of at least one of said inner vessels comprising a plurality of wall openings in fluid communication with said second cavity.

12. The container kit of claim 9, wherein each of said inner vessels is configured to be supported by said outer vessel when received in said first cavity.

13. The container kit of claim 10, wherein said outer vessel has a top edge defining said opening of said first cavity and at least one of said inner vessels has top edge defining said second opening and configured to rest against said top edge of said outer vessel when said inner vessel is received in said cavity.

14. The container kit of claim 9, wherein said lid assembly comprises a lid configured to be removably attachable to said outer vessel, and a seal assembly received in said lid to seal said first opening and said inner cavity opening when said lid is attached to said outer vessel.

15. The container kit of claim 9, comprising at least one variant accessory configured to be engageable by said releaseable attachment mechanism, said variant accessory interchangeable with said accessory so that a selected one of said accessory and said variant accessory can be releasably attached to said lid assembly.

16. The container kit of claim 15, wherein said accessory comprises a strainer with holes of a first size and said variant accessory comprises one of:

a strainer with holes of a second size, different from said first size;

an activated carbon filter; and

an agitator for promoting mixing.

17. A container kit, comprising:

an outer vessel having a first cavity and an outer vessel opening;

an infusion vessel having a wall defining a second cavity and an inner vessel opening, said infusion vessel configured to be received through said outer vessel opening and supported on said outer vessel such that said inner vessel opening is positioned proximate said outer vessel opening, said wall comprising a plurality of holes in fluid communication with said second cavity;

a lid assembly comprising an accessory retainer and adapted to be removably attachable to said outer vessel to seal said outer vessel opening and said inner vessel opening;

an accessory comprising a retention element configured to engage said accessory retainer to removably attach said accessory to said lid assembly so that said accessory is received through said outer vessel opening when said lid assembly is attached outer vessel;

a variant vessel having an impermeable wall defining a variant vessel cavity and a variant vessel opening said variant vessel configured to be received through said outer vessel opening in place of said infusion vessel.

18. A container, comprising:

an outer vessel having a first cavity and an outer vessel opening;

an inner vessel having a wall defining a second cavity and an inner vessel opening, said inner vessel configured to be received through said outer vessel opening;

a pad having a wall defining a pocket to receive a bottom end of said inner vessel, and at least one deformable shock-absorbing member disposed beneath said inner vessel when said bottom end is received in said pocket;

a lid assembly comprising an accessory retainer and adapted to be removably attachable to said outer vessel to seal said outer vessel opening and said inner vessel opening;

an accessory comprising a retention element configured to engage said accessory retainer to removably attach said accessory to said lid assembly so that said accessory is received through said outer vessel opening when said lid assembly is attached outer vessel; and

a variant accessory interchangeable with said accessory,

wherein said accessory comprises a strainer with holes of a first size and said variant accessory comprises one of;

a strainer with holes of a second size, different from said first size;

an activated carbon filter; and

an agitator for promoting mixing.

19. The container of claim 18, wherein said at least one deformable shock-absorbing member comprises a structure configured to absorb shock by buckling.

20. The container of claim 19, wherein said wall is generally annular and wherein said structure comprises a lip extending upwardly and radially inwardly from a bottom edge of said wall.

21. The container of claim 19, wherein said structure comprises at least one rib extending radially inwardly from said wall.

22. The container of claim 21, wherein said structure comprises a plurality of ribs extending radially inwardly from said wall, said ribs arranged to cooperatively support said inner vessel.

23. The container of claim 18, wherein said deformable shock-absorbing member comprises a layer of resiliently deformable material.

24. A container kit, comprising:

an outer vessel having a first cavity, said first cavity having an opening;

an inner vessel having a second cavity, said second cavity having an opening, said inner vessel configured to be receivable in said first cavity such that said opening of said second cavity is positioned proximate said opening of said first cavity;

a lid assembly adapted to be removably attachable to said outer vessel;

an accessory;

a releasable attachment mechanism operable to removably attach said accessory to said lid assembly such that said accessory is received in said first cavity when said lid assembly is attached to said outer vessel;

at least one variant component interchangeable with one of said inner vessel, and said accessory,

wherein said variant component comprises at least one of

a variant inner vessel configured to be receivable in said first cavity and interchangeable with said inner vessel so that a selected one of said inner vessel and said variant inner vessel can be received in said first cavity;

a variant inner vessel comprising a wall defining a second cavity, said wall comprising a plurality of wall openings in fluid communication with said second cavity;

an activated carbon filter;

or

an agitator for promoting mixing.