MULTI-CONFORMING BEVERAGE HOLDER

Abstract

A multi-conforming beverage holder having a main body and a cuff. The main body is formed from one or more panels of insulating material having various edges, and the cuff is formed from one or more panels of elastic material having various edges. The edges of the main body are connected to generally form a cylinder having sidewalls, a bottom wall, and an open top edge. The edges of the cuff are connected to generally form a cylinder having sidewalls and open top and bottom edges. The open bottom edge of the cuff is connected to the open top edge of the main body. The cuff is operable to be folded downward from an unfolded position to a folded position to accommodate beverage vessels of various shapes and sizes. The holder may also include one or more grippers formed from nonslip material disposed on inner surfaces of the sidewalls of the main body and/or cuff, to retain beverage vessels more securely within the holder.

Claims

1. A multi-conforming insulating holder for a beverage vessel comprising: a generally cylindrical main body formed of a panel of insulating material; and a generally cylindrical cuff formed of a panel of elastic material, wherein the cuff is operable to be folded downward from an unfolded position to a folded position such that the holder is configured to retain a beverage vessel of a first size in the folded position and the holder retains a beverage vessel of a second size in the unfolded position.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the insulating material of the main body is selected from a group consisting of neoprene, Ariaprene?, thermoplastic elastomer foam, closed-cell foam, and combinations thereof.

3. The holder of claim 1 wherein the elastic material of the cuff is selected from a group consisting of rubber, latex, polyester, elastane, and combinations thereof.

4. The holder of claim 1 wherein the main body further includes an inner surface and an opposing outer surface, the inner surface including a bottom gripper formed of nonslip material.

5. The holder of claim 4 wherein the nonslip material of the bottom gripper is selected from a group consisting of silicone, rubber, sponge, cork, and combinations thereof.

6. The holder of claim 4 wherein the bottom gripper further includes a plurality of gripping sections.

7. The holder of claim 1 wherein the cuff further includes an inner surface and an opposing outer surface, the inner surface including a top gripper formed of nonslip material.

8. The holder of claim 7 wherein the nonslip material of the top gripper is selected from a group consisting of silicone, rubber, sponge, cork, and combinations thereof.

9. The holder of claim 7 wherein the top gripper further includes a plurality of gripping sections.

10. A method of forming a multi-conforming insulating holder for a beverage vessel, the method comprising: providing a main body panel formed of insulating material having: a first top edge and a second top edge, a plurality of first side edges and a plurality of second side edges, and a plurality of bottom edges, providing a first cuff panel and a second cuff panel formed of elastic material, each of the first and second cuff panel having: a top edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, and a bottom edge, connecting the bottom edge of one of the first and second cuff panels to one of the first and second top edges of the main body panel and connecting the bottom edge of the other cuff panel to the other of the first and second top edges of the main body panel, connecting the plurality of first side edges of the main body panel to the plurality of second side edges of the main body panel such that each of the first and second top edges form a round, open top edge, and the plurality of bottom edges define a bottom wall, and connecting the first side edges of one of the first and second cuff panels to the second side edges of the other of the first and second cuff panels such that the top edges of the first and second cuff panels form a round, open top edge.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the insulating material of the main body is selected from a group consisting of neoprene, Ariaprene?, thermoplastic elastomer foam, closed-cell foam, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the elastic material of the cuff is selected from a group consisting of rubber, latex, polyester, elastane, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of providing a bottom gripper formed of nonslip material selected from a group consisting of silicone, rubber, sponge, cork, and combinations thereof and connecting the bottom gripper to the main body panel of the holder.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the bottom gripper further includes a plurality of gripping sections.

15. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of providing a top gripper formed of nonslip material selected from a group consisting of silicone, rubber, sponge, cork, and combinations thereof and connecting the top gripper to one of the first cuff panel and the second cuff panel of the holder.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the top gripper further includes a plurality of gripping sections.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the edges of the main body are connected together via stitches.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the edges of the cuff are connected together via stitches.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the main body panel is connected to the first cuff panel and the second cuff panel via stitches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Further advantages of the disclosure are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a holder in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a partially assembled holder in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of a holder with the cuff in the folded position in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 4 is an overhead view of an unassembled main body panel of a holder in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 5 is a side view of an assembled main body panel of a holder in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 6 is a side view of an unassembled cuff panel of a holder in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a top view of a partially assembled main body panel and cuff panel of a holder in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 8 is a side view of a holder with gripper retaining a drinking vessel in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 9 is a side view of a holder with gripper retaining a drinking vessel in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 10 is a side view of a holder with gripper retaining a drinking vessel in accordance with another of the present disclosure; and

[0030] FIG. 11 is a side perspective view of a holder in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The present disclosure relates to a multi-conforming beverage holder having various components including a main body and a cuff. The holder described herein is particularly suited for use as a universal insulating beverage holder for cans, bottles, and other vessels having different shapes and sizes.

[0032] Shown in various figures, the holder 100 may include a main body 200, a cuff 300, and a gripper 400. Primarily, the holder 100 is constructed from two sections, the main body 200 and the cuff 300, with the main body 200 having a bottom and the cuff 300 attached to a top edge of the main body 200. When assembled, the cuff 300 includes an open end through which a beverage vessel 500 may be received in the holder 100. In the various embodiments, the main body 200 and the cuff 300 are formed from distinct materials performing distinct functions. The main body 200 is formed of a flexible, insulating material and operates to insulate a beverage vessel 500 from ambient temperatures, effectively slowing the temperature change of the beverage vessel 500 over time. The cuff 300 is formed from a flexible, highly elastic material and operates to keep beverage vessels 500 of different shapes and sizes retained within the holder 100. In operation, the cuff 300 is foldable between an unfolded position (e.g., FIG. 1) configured to retain larger/taller beverage vessels 500 and a folded position (e.g., FIG. 3) configured to retain smaller beverage vessels 500. The ability to fold the cuff 300 allows the holder 100 to effectively retain beverage vessels of numerous shapes and sizes and eliminates the need for multiple specifically shaped or sized holders without said elastic cuff 300. In another aspect, the folded cuff 300 may also operate to push the main body 200 in a closer relationship to the beverage vessel 500 for enhancing the insulation/gripping relationship between the main body 200 and the vessel 500.

[0033] To further increase the grip of the holder 100 on beverage vessels 500, the holder 100 may include one or more grippers 400 formed of nonslip material on the inner surfaces of the main body 200 (e.g., FIG. 3) or the cuff 300 (e.g., FIGS. 8-10) of the holder 100. Grippers 400 provide additional nonslip properties to the inside of the holder 100, useful for slick conditions such as when beverage vessels 500 are formed of glass or wet with condensation.

[0034] As depicted herein, the holder 100 may be constructed in various manners, including separately constructing the main body 200 and then cuff 300 and subsequently connecting the sections, as well as preassembling certain sections or panels that would eventually form the main body 200 and cuff 300 of the holder.

[0035] In certain embodiments, the holders may be formed from various numbers of panels connected using connection methods such as sewing (creating stitches), adhesives, and other similar suitable connection methods. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates one preferred embodiment of a holder 100 configured to conform to various shapes and sizes of beverage vessels 500 wherein the main body 200 is formed of a single panel of insulating material and the cuff 300 is formed of a single panel of elastic material. Adding additional panels may be advantageous for various reasons such as varying the grip strength of the holder 100, which depends upon various factors including the material selected for each component of the holder 100 and the number of requisite stitches, which may require a certain margin of material to be sacrificed in order to create the stitch, as well as reasons such as the even distribution of stresses located at the connection points of the components and panels of the holders, the stresses caused by the holder 100 stretching to accommodate various shapes and sizes of beverage vessels 500. For example, in one exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 11, another holder 1000 is shown wherein the main body 2000 is formed of two panels of insulating material and the cuff 3000 is formed of two panels of elastic material.

[0036] In certain embodiments, the insulating material of the main body 200 is preferably neoprene, Ariaprene?, thermoplastic elastomer foam, closed-cell foam, or other materials having similar suitable mechanical and insulating properties, preferably about 2 to about 3 millimeters thick. The elastic material of the cuff 300 is preferably formed of rubber, latex, polyester, or elastane, in woven or unwoven forms, or other materials having similar suitable properties. Both of the insulating and elastic materials provide some stretch to allow the holders 100 to conform to beverage vessels 500 of various shapes and sizes and hold and retain the beverage vessels 500 within the holders 100. Noted above and shown in various figures, the holder 100 may be connected by sewing the various edges of the panels together. Sewing is particularly suitable for the application because of the high stresses placed on connection points between the edges of the various panels when the holder 100 stretched to conform to inserted beverage vessels 500 and when the cuff 300 folds and unfolds to conform to various sizes of beverage vessels. Moreover, industrial sewing machines can easily manufacture various types of stitches for the mass manufacture of holders 100. Threads made of polyester, nylon, or other similar suitable thread materials are preferred for this application because of their strength, flexibility, and ability to stretch, as well as their compatibility with high-capacity industrial sewing machines. In some embodiments, stitches may be combined with adhesives or other materials to further ensure a strong connection between panels. Flatlock and butted seam/overlock are particularly suitable stitches for attaching the various edges of the various panels.

[0037] Various portions of the holder 100 at various stages of construction are shown in FIGS. 2 and 4-7. FIG. 4 shows a single panel embodiment of the main body 200 of the holder 100 having various edges configured to be connected to provide the main body 200 with a generally cylindrical shape. Shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the main body 200 has top edges 220a and 220b, first side edges 230a and 230b, second side edges 240a and 240b, and bottom edges 270a and 270b. Assembled, the first side edge 230a is connected to the second side edge 240a along the length of the side edges 230a, 240a by first side stitches 232 and the first side edge 230b is connected to the second side edge 240b along the length of the side edges 230b, 240b by second side stitches 242. Shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, connection of each of the corresponding side edges 230a, 240a and 230b, 240b creates an open top edge 280, formed by top edges 220a and 220b meeting at the connection points between corresponding side edges 230a, 240a and 230b, 240b. Connection of the corresponding side edges 230a, 240a and 230b, 240b also creates the bottom wall 290 defined by bottom wall edges 270a and 270b.

[0038] The single panel embodiment of the cuff 300 of the holder 100 is illustrated in FIG. 6. The cuff 300 has various edges configured to be connected to provide the cuff 300 with a generally cylindrical shape, dimensioned and configured to be attached to the main body 200. Shown in FIG. 6, the cuff 300 has a top edge 320, a first side edge 330, a second side edge 340, and a bottom edge 370. Assembled, the first side edge 330 is connected to the second side edge 340 along the length of the side edges 330, 340 by first side stitches 332. Connection of the side edges 330, 340 creates an open top edge 380 and an open bottom edge 390, the bottom edge dimensioned and configured to be attached to the open top edge 280 of the main body 200. In an embodiment of a holder 100 comprising a single panel main body 200 and single panel cuff 300 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the open bottom edge 390 of the cuff 300 may be attached to the open top edge 280 of the main body 200 by top edge stitches 282. In one embodiment, the cuff 300 may be attached to the main body 200 as two separate partially assembled sections, such as shown in FIG. 2. In other embodiments incorporating a two-piece cuff 3000 shown in FIGS. 7 and 11, separate panels 3100, 3200 forming the cuff 3000 may be attached to the main body 200 or 2000, which in some instances may facilitate quick and full assembly of the holder 100.

[0039] In operation, in various embodiments, the cuff 300 is foldable between a folded position and an unfolded position based on the size and shape of the beverage vessel 500 a user desires to retain and insulate. FIG. 3 depicts a holder 100 in the completely folded position and FIG. 1 shows the holder 100 in the completely unfolded position. Shown in FIG. 3, the cuff is foldable along the top open edge 280 of the main body 200 to accommodate a minimum beverage vessel size, though the cuff 300 may be folded at various positions between completely folded and completely unfolded to retain and insulate a wide variety of beverage vessel shapes and sizes. In one preferred embodiment, the holder 100 in the completely folded position is configured to retain and insulate a standard 12 fluid ounce can at a minimum, and in the completely unfolded position is configured to retain and insulate a 24 fluid ounce can. In addition to allowing the holder 100 to sufficiently retain and insulate large cans, because the cuff 300 is preferably formed of an elastic material, the cuff 300 also retains bottles and slim sized cans with differently sized necks and bodies, conforming to the shape of the neck of the bottle or diameter of the vessel.

[0040] Shown in FIGS. 3 and 8-10, in various embodiments the holder 100 also includes one or more grippers 400 formed of a nonslip material such as silicone, rubber, sponge, cork or other similar suitable materials with nonslip properties in order to further increase the grip of the holder 100 on a beverage vessel 500 while it is retained within the holder 100. In some embodiments, the gripper 400 may be located on either the inside surface of the main body 200, as shown in FIG. 3, or the cuff 300, as shown in FIGS. 8-10. In certain embodiments, the gripper 400 may be a separate and distinct component from either the main body 200 or the cuff 300. In other embodiments, the gripper 400 may be integrated within the main body 200 or the cuff 300, or within or connected to the various stitches connecting the edges of the main body 200 and/or the cuff 300. The gripper may also take various forms depending on the level of grip desired. Shown in FIGS. 8-10, in some embodiments, the gripper 400 may be a single strip of nonslip material, and in other embodiments, the gripper 400 may be formed from patterns of nonslip material having gripping sections 420 and non-gripping sections 440. In two exemplary embodiments of a holder 100 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 with a cuff 300 in the completely folded position so as to show features and details of the gripper 400, the gripper 400 is a continuous strip of nonslip material and is located on the inner surface of the cuff 300 such that when the cuff 300 is moved to the completely unfolded position to accommodate a larger and/or taller bottle or other beverage vessel 500, the gripper 400 faces the inside of the holder 100, thereby contacting and gripping the beverage vessel 500 to retain it within the holder 100. The embodiment in FIG. 9 illustrates a gripper 400 spanning the circumference of the inner surface of the cuff 300, while the embodiment in FIG. 10 illustrates a gripper 400 located at the connection point between the first and second side edges 330, 340 of the cuff 300. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the gripper 400 is a regular pattern of nonslip material disposed on the inner surface of the cuff 300 such that there is a repeating pattern of nonslip material forming gripping sections 420 and elastic material of the cuff 300 forming non-gripping sections. While FIGS. 8-10 illustrate use of the gripper with the one panel main body 200 and cuff 300, the gripper 400 may be used with multi-panel holders and combinations of single and multi-panel holders as well.

[0041] Additionally, shown in various figures, the side edges of the main body and cuff may be tapered such that the diameter of the top of an assembled main body is greater than the diameter of the bottom of the same assembled main body, and the diameter of the top of an assembled cuff is less than the diameter of the bottom of the same assembled cuff. A tapered main body and tapered cuff provide additional grip to the bottom and top of a beverage vessel 500, respectively, via closer tolerances and more tighter stretching, resulting in a tighter fit.

[0042] FIG. 11 illustrates multi-panel embodiment of a holder 1000 comprising a two-panel main body 2000 and a two-panel cuff 3000 largely mirroring the assembled configuration of the one panel embodiment of the holder 100. Shown in FIG. 11, the main body panel 2000 includes two identical main body panels, a first main body panel 2100 and a second main body panel 2200 connected by various stitches including side stitches 2620 and bottom stitches 2920. Connection of each of the corresponding side edges of the main body panels 2100, 2200 creates an open top edge, formed by the top edges of the panels 2100, 2200 meeting at the connection points between the corresponding side edges and connection of each of the bottom edges creates a bottom wall. The cuff 3000 includes two identical cuff panels, a first cuff panel 3100 and a second cuff panel 3200 connected by various stitches including side stitches 3620. Connection of each of the corresponding side edges of the cuff panels 3100, 3200 creates open top and bottom edges formed by the side edges of the panels meeting. The cuff 3000 is attached to the main body 2000 by top edge stitches 2820.

[0043] The single panel and multi-panel embodiments 100, 1000 may be combined, as well. Noted above with respect to FIG. 7, the various numbers of panels and corresponding stitching thereof may also be combined because it may be preferable, for speed and ease of manufacturing, to combine a single panel main body 200 with two cuff panels 3100, 3200. Shown in FIG. 8, the first cuff panel 3100 may be first connected to the top edge 240a and the second cuff panel 3200 may be connected to the other top edge 240b thus requiring only two additional side stitches to assemble the entire holder.

[0044] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.