Beverage container with ice storage feature

Abstract

In its preferred embodiment, my invention provides a solution for a reusable product that provides the ability to conveniently, effectively and immediately cool a consumable liquid in a container regardless of where you are, without the delay involved by requiring to place any portion of the container into a refrigerator, to increase the time that a cooling agent's (ice) lowered temperature is preserved prior to exposure to the consumable liquid, to provide enhanced cooling impact through direct and maximum surface contact between the cooling agent and consumable liquid, to do so for any liquid the person desires to consume and that is not limited in its design/fit/configuration in order to accommodate a specific commercially available prepackaged container.

Claims

1. A multi-compartmental beverage container comprising: an upper compartment (100); a lower compartment (200); a middle portion (300); a top (110); a bottom (210); a plurality of seals (140); said middle portion (300) comprises a middle upper (310), a middle lower (320), a orifice disk (330), a ring seal (340), a plurality of fasteners (350), and a plurality of O-rings (380); said top (110) is connected with and sealed to said upper compartment (100) through a compressive means involving a plurality of said seals (140) and fit with a cover (120) in a sliding arrangement; said middle upper (310) has a plurality of orifices (360) arranged circumferentially around and in equal distances from a center of said middle upper (310); said middle upper (310) connects to said upper compartment (100) through a compressive means involving a plurality of said seals (140); said middle lower (320) has a plurality of orifices (360) arranged circumferentially around and in equal distances from a center of said middle lower (320); said middle lower (320) connects to said lower compartment (200) through a compressive means involving a plurality of said seals (140); said lower compartment (200) accommodates attachment to said bottom (210); said orifice disk (330) and said ring seal (340) are arranged between said middle upper (310) and said middle lower (320) in a concentric fashion; said ring seal (340) is fastened to said middle upper (310) through a plurality of said fasteners (350); said middle lower (320)connects with said middle upper (310) through a plurality of hooks (370); said orifice disk (330) has a plurality of orifices (360) arranged circumferentially around and in equal distances from a center of said orifice disk (330); a plurality of said O-rings (380) are arranged concentrically around each said orifice (360) in said orifice disk (330) and positioned between said orifice disk (330) and said middle lower (320) thereby forming a compressive seal such that a consumable liquid may be contained separately in said upper compartment (100), whereby ice is configured to be contained separately in said lower compartment (200), and said orifice disk (330) is able to be rotated about a vertical centerline axis (410) of the container by a user of the container causing said plurality of said orifices (360) in said middle upper (310), said middle lower (320) and said orifice disk (330) to be concentric about an alignment axis (400) which passes concentrically through each said orifice (360), or to cause each said orifice (360) to not be in alignment with said alignment axis (400), when each said orifice (360) is concentric about said alignment axis (400) fluid passage between said upper compartment (100) and said lower compartment (200) through said middle portion (300) is supported, thereby causing a cooling of the consumable liquid through direct contact with the ice contained in said lower compartment (200), when each said orifice (360) is not concentric with said alignment axis (400) fluid passage between said upper compartment (100) and said lower compartment (200) through said middle portion (300) is not supported.

2. The multi-compartmental beverage container described in claim 1, where said top (110) and said middle upper (310) each has a threaded attachment means to connect to said upper compartment (100), and said middle lower (320) and said bottom (210) each has a threaded attachment means to connect to said lower compartment (200).

3. The multi-compartmental beverage container described in claim 1, where said lower compartment (200) and said bottom (210) are formed as a single piece.

4. The multi-compartmental beverage container described in claim 1, where said upper compartment (100) and said middle upper (310) are formed as a single piece.

5. The multi-compartmental beverage container described in claim 1, where said plurality of said orifices (360) are configured concentrically about said alignment axis (400) by a sliding means of movement of said orifice disk (330).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention, showing the upper compartment 100, the lower compartment 200 and the middle portion 300.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a cutout section of one of the preferred embodiments of my invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, illustrating the arrangement of all components in juxtaposition to one another.

LISTING OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS USED IN FIGS

(4) 100 Upper Compartment

(5) 110 Top

(6) 120 Cover

(7) 140 Seal

(8) 200 Lower Compartment

(9) 210 Bottom

(10) 300 Middle Portion

(11) 310 Middle Upper

(12) 320 Middle Lower

(13) 330 orifice disk

(14) 340 Seal

(15) 350 Fastener

(16) 360 Orifice

(17) 370 Hook

(18) 380 O-ring

(19) 400 Alignment Axis

(20) 410 Vertical Centerline Axis

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(21) One preferred embodiment of my invention includes an upper compartment 100, a lower compartment 200 and a middle portion 300. The middle portion 300 contains several instances of orifice 360. The orifices 360 can be in either an open or a closed position, determined by the user performing a simple operation. When the orifices 360 are in the closed position there is no transfer of substances between the upper compartment 100 and lower compartment 200. When the orifices 360 are in the open position substances are able to move between the upper compartment 100 and lower compartment 200.

(22) In operation, upper compartment 100 contains a consumable liquid, and lower compartment 200 contains frozen ice. Middle portion 300 is comprised of middle upper 310, middle lower 320, orifice disk 330, several seal 340 instances, several fastener 350 instances, several orifice 360 instances, several o-ring 380 instances and multiple hook 370 instances.

(23) Upper compartment 100 is connected to top 110 through a compression fit with multiple seal 140 instances.

(24) Cover 120 is secured to top 110 in a sliding repositionable arrangement.

(25) Lower compartment 200 is connected to bottom 210 through a compression fit between the parts.

(26) Middle upper 310 contains several orifice 360 instances spaced circumferentially and at an equal distance about the center of middle upper 310.

(27) Middle upper 310 is connected to upper compartment 100 through a compression fit with multiple seal 140 instances.

(28) Middle lower 320 contains several orifice 360 instances spaced circumferentially and at an equal distance about the center of middle lower 320.

(29) Middle lower 320 is connected to lower compartment 200 through a compression fit with multiple seal 140 instances.

(30) Orifice disk 330 has several orifice 360 instances spaced circumferentially and at an equal distance about the center of orifice disk 330.

(31) Orifice disk 330 is placed in close proximity to middle lower 320 with one instance of O-ring 380 positioned between each instance of orifice 360 in orifice disk 330 and middle lower 320.

(32) Alignment axis 400 defines a line through the center of each orifice 360 instance in middle lower 320, o-ring 380 and orifice 360 in orifice disk 330 when my invention is in the open position.

(33) Fasteners 350 connect seal 340 to middle upper 310.

(34) Each instance of hook 370 secures middle lower 320 to middle upper 310.

(35) In operation, the user rotates orifice disk 330 until all orifice 360 instances in middle upper 310, middle lower 320 and orifice disk 330 are aligned about the respective alignment axis 400. This allows passage of liquid between upper compartment 100 and lower compartment 200, through middle portion 300.

(36) It is to be understood that beyond the herein described preferred embodiment of my invention, presented here as an illustration for understanding in general terms the benefits, characteristics and advantages its design affords, further embodiments or details are claimed to be protected as well as they fall within the scope and spirit of the broad wording and understanding of the claims herein attached.