WOOD VENEER BEVERAGE CONTAINER SLEEVE

Abstract

A beverage container sleeve made from two-ply rolled wood veneer, having an ovoid open end, an internal cavity, and a circular closed base, whereby the outer surface of the device may have printed thereon an aesthetic design and the base may have formed into its underside a bottle cap removing component; and a method for manufacturing same.

Claims

1. A beverage container sleeve for use with a beverage container, said beverage container having a substantially circular cross section, said beverage container sleeve comprising a vertical wall and a base, wherein said vertical wall is substantially cylindrical, having an upper edge, a lower edge, an outer surface, a core, and an inner surface, with the upper edge having a perimeter with a substantially ovoid shape and the lower edge having a perimeter with a substantially circular shape, said vertical wall defining an inner cavity and an upper opening, said vertical wall formed of a first ply and a second ply, said first ply being constructed of wood veneer and said second ply being constructed of wood veneer, with said first ply having a thickness and said second ply having a thickness less than the thickness of the first ply, said second ply bonded to said first ply by use of an adhesive, said second ply comprising the outer surface of the vertical wall and said first ply comprising the core and the inner surface of the vertical wall; and the base is substantially planar and substantially circular and configured to be placed into the inner cavity of the vertical wall proximate to the lower edge of the vertical wall and affixed thereto.

2. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the second ply is made of a premium veneer having superior aesthetic properties as compared to the first ply.

3. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the second ply has an outer surface upon which an image is printed.

4. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the base is affixed to the vertical wall by an adhesive.

5. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the base is constructed of wood.

6. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the base has a substantially uniform thickness and further comprises a bottle cap removal device.

7. The beverage container sleeve of claim 6 wherein the bottle cap removal device is a substantially circular cavity formed into an underside of the base, said cavity having a substantially uniform depth less than the thickness of the base, said bottle cap removal device further comprising a protuberance, said protuberance being located in the cavity proximate to a side wall of the cavity.

8. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the base has a substantially uniform thickness and further comprises one or more apertures, each said aperture formed completely through the thickness of the base.

9. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the vertical wall and the base are stained.

10. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein the vertical wall and the base are coated with a semi-gloss finish.

11. A method for manufacturing a beverage container sleeve for use with a beverage container, said beverage container having a substantially circular cross section, said method comprising the following steps: Step A: obtain a first ply having a substantially rectangular shape, a width, a length, and a thickness, said first ply made of wood veneer; Step B: obtain a second ply having a substantially rectangular shape, a width, a length, and a thickness, said width of the second ply being substantially the same as the width of the first ply, said length of the second ply being less than the length of the first ply, and said thickness of the second ply being less than the thickness of the first ply, said second ply made of wood veneer; Step C: obtain an adhesive suitable for bonding said first ply to itself and said second ply to said first ply; Step D: obtain a base, said base being substantially planar and having a substantially circular shape and a substantially uniform thickness; Step E: place the second ply adjacent to the first ply, securing it thereto; Step F: roll the first and second plies over a form, beginning with the first ply and finishing with the second ply, simultaneously applying the adhesive to the first and second plies as they are rolled, to create a vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve; Step G: allow the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve to dry and harden; and Step H: insert the base into a lower portion of the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve and affix it thereto; whereby Steps A, B, C, and D may be performed in any order; Step E is performed after Steps A and B; Step F is performed after Steps C and E; Step G is performed after Step F; and Step H is performed after Steps D and G.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the base of Step D is constructed of wood.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the form of Step E has an oval cross section.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein Step E further comprises the second ply being secured to the first ply with tape.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein Step H further comprises affixing the base to the lower portion of the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve with adhesive.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising Step B1, wherein the second ply is placed in a printer and an image is printed upon an outer surface of the second ply; whereby Step B1 is performed after Step B; and Step B1 is performed before Step E.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising Step D1, wherein a bottle cap removal device is formed into an underside of the base, creating a cavity, said cavity being substantially circular and having a substantially uniform depth, with said depth being less than the thickness of the base, and having a protuberance placed into said cavity proximate to a side wall of said cavity; whereby Step D1 is performed after Step D; and Step D1 is performed before Step H.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising Step D2, wherein one or more apertures are formed completely through the thickness of the base; whereby Step D2 is performed after Step D; and Step D2 is performed before Step H.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising Step G1, wherein the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve is removed from the form of Step E; whereby Steps G and G1 may be performed in any order; Step G1 is performed after Step F; and Step G1 is performed before Step H.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising Step I, wherein the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve and the base of the beverage container sleeve are stained; whereby Step I is performed after Step H.

21. The method of claim 11 further comprising Step J, wherein the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve and the base of the beverage container sleeve are coated with a semi-gloss finish; whereby Step J is performed after Step H.

22. A method for manufacturing a beverage container sleeve for use with a beverage container, said beverage container having a substantially circular cross section, said method comprising the following steps: Step A: obtain a first ply having a substantially rectangular shape, a width, a length, and a thickness, said first ply made of wood veneer; Step B: obtain a second ply having a substantially rectangular shape, a width, a length, and a thickness, said width of the second ply being substantially the same as the width of the first ply, said length of the second ply being less than the length of the first ply, and said thickness of the second ply being less than the thickness of the first ply, said second ply made of wood veneer; Step C: place the second ply in a printer and print an image upon an outer surface of the second ply; Step D: obtain an adhesive suitable for bonding said first ply to itself and said second ply to said first ply; Step E: obtain a base, said base being substantially planar and having a substantially circular shape and a substantially uniform thickness, wherein the base is constructed of wood; Step F: form a bottle cap removal device into an underside of the base, creating a cavity, said cavity being substantially circular and having a substantially uniform depth, with said depth being less than the thickness of the base, and having a protuberance placed into said cavity proximate to a side wall of said cavity; Step G: form one or more apertures completely through the thickness of the base; Step H: place the second ply adjacent to the first ply, securing it thereto with tape; Step I: roll the first and second plies over a form, said form having an oval cross section, beginning with the first ply and finishing with the second ply, simultaneously applying the adhesive to the first and second plies as they are rolled, to create a vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve; Step J: allow the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve to dry and harden; Step K: remove the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve from the form; Step L: insert the base into a lower portion of the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve and affix it thereto with adhesive; Step M: stain the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve and the base of the beverage container sleeve; and Step N: coat the vertical wall of the beverage container sleeve and the base of the beverage container sleeve with a semi-gloss finish; whereby Steps A, B, D, and E may be performed in any order; Step C is performed after Step B; Steps F and G may be performed in any order; Steps F and G are performed after Step E; Step H is performed after Steps A, B, C, D, and E; Step I is performed after Step H; Steps J and K may be performed in any order; Steps J and K are performed after Step I; Step L is performed after Steps F, G, J, and K; Step M is performed after Step L; and Step N is performed after Step M.

23. The beverage container sleeve of claim 1 wherein said first ply further has a substantially rectangular shape, a width, and a length, and said second ply further has a substantially rectangular shape, a width, and a length; whereby said width of the second ply is substantially the same as the width of the first ply, and said length of the second ply is less than the length of the first ply.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1A is a plan side view of one embodiment of the beverage container sleeve of the present invention, depicting said sleeve with a container inserted therein.

[0023] FIG. 1B is a plan side cutaway view of the embodiment of the beverage container sleeve shown in FIG. 1A.

[0024] FIG. 2A is a plan top view of an embodiment of the beverage container sleeve of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 2B is a plan bottom view of the embodiment of the beverage container sleeve of the present invention shown in FIG. 2A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present invention is a beverage container sleeve 1 for use with a beverage container 10. The beverage container 10 is any standard container having a substantially circular cross section, such as a bottle or a can. The beverage container sleeve 1 comprises a vertical wall 100 and a base 200.

[0027] The vertical wall 100 of the beverage container sleeve 1 is substantially cylindrical. It has an upper edge 112, a lower edge 114, an outer surface 116, an inner surface 118, and a core 122. The upper edge 112 has a perimeter having a substantially ovoid shape. The lower edge 114 has a perimeter having a substantially circular shape. The vertical wall 100 therefore has a variable-shaped cross-section, which changes from substantially oval to substantially circular from the upper edge 112 to the lower edge 114.

[0028] The vertical wall 100 defines an inner cavity 124 and an upper opening 126. The inner cavity 124 is configured to receive the lower portion of a container 10; the lower portion of the container 10 is placed through the upper opening 126 of the vertical wall 100 and into the inner cavity 124. The oval shape of the perimeter of the upper edge 112 of the vertical wall 100 provides contact points between the inner surface 118 of the vertical wall 100 and the outer surface of the container 10, but not all portions of the inner surface 118 of the vertical wall 100 are in contact with the outer surface of the container 10. Specifically, the portions of the vertical wall 100 which lie proximate to the ends of the short axis of the oval describing the perimeter of the upper edge 112 of the vertical wall 100 are in contact with the outer surface of the container 10, and the portions of the vertical wall 100 which lie proximate to the ends of the long axis of the oval describing the perimeter of the upper edge 112 of the vertical wall 100 are not in contact with the outer surface of the container 10. This creates a gap between at least portions of the inner surface 118 of the vertical wall 100 and the outer surface of the container 10, facilitating insertion of the container 10 into and extraction of the container 10 from the beverage container sleeve 1.

[0029] The vertical wall 100 is formed of a first ply 130 and a second ply 140. The first ply 130 is a sheet of wood veneer, and the second ply 140 is a sheet of wood veneer. Both plies 130,140 are substantially rectangular in shape, with the first and second plies 130,140 having substantially the same widths, but with the first ply 130 having a greater length than the second ply 140. The first ply 130 is also thicker than the second ply 140. The first and second plies 130,140 are bonded together with an adhesive, thereby forming the vertical wall 100 of the beverage container sleeve 1.

[0030] The larger, thicker first ply 130 made be made of less expensive, inferior veneer. It comprises the core 122 and inner surface 118 of the vertical wall 100. The smaller, thinner second ply 140 is preferably made from a premium wood veneer having superior aesthetic properties. It comprises the outer surface 116 of the vertical wall 100. The thinness of the second ply 140 allows it to be placed in a standard printer, thereby allowing any manner of text, design, or other ornamentation 144 to be quickly and easily printed onto the outer surface 142 of the second ply 140. Because the first ply 130 is thicker than the second ply 140, a shorter length is required to form a suitably rigid core 122 for the vertical wall 100. In contrast, if a thinner ply were used, it would have to be longer and be coiled multiple times about itself in order to create a rigid core, requiring more veneer as well as more adhesive to hold the extra coils together, thereby increasing costs. Also, by using two plies, the more expensive premium veneer second ply 140 need have only a minimal length, thereby further saving costs. In the preferred embodiment, the first ply 130 has a length long enough to be coiled at least two times, and preferably up to four times, thereby forming the inner surface 118 and the core 122 of the vertical wall 100. This may be between 15 and 24 inches, with a preferred length of 18 inches. The second ply 140 has a length just long enough to completely encircle the outer perimeter of the vertical wall 100. This may be between 8 inches and 12 inches, with a preferred length of 10 inches, though slight deviations from this range are also contemplated. The second ply 140 is bonded to the first ply 130 by use of an adhesive during manufacture. The adhesive is also applied to portions of the first ply 130 as it is coiled onto itself to form the substantially cylindrical shape of the vertical wall 100, bonding to itself in layers.

[0031] The base 200 of the beverage container sleeve 1 is substantially planar and substantially circular and configured to be placed into the inner cavity 124 of the vertical wall 100 proximate to the lower edge 114 of the vertical wall 100, and affixed thereto. The base 200 may be made of any suitable material, with the preferred material being wood. This may be solid wood, plywood, composite wood, or the like.

[0032] The base 200 may comprise an optional bottle cap removal device 220. The bottle cap removal device 220 is formed into the underside 210 of the base 200, creating a cavity 222, said cavity 222 being substantially circular and having a substantially uniform depth, with that depth being less than the thickness of the base 200. The inside diameter of the cavity 222 should be just slightly larger than the outside diameter of a standard bottle cap, or about 1⅛ inches. A protuberance 224 is placed into the cavity 222 proximate to a side wall of the cavity 222. The protuberance 224 serves as a point of leverage for the underside of the lip of the bottle cap. In one embodiment the protuberance 224 may be a flat head screw.

[0033] The base 200 may further comprise one or more optional apertures 230. The apertures 230 are formed completely through the thickness of the base 200, thereby providing drainage for any moisture that may accumulate within the inner cavity 124 of the vertical wall 100.

[0034] The beverage container sleeve 1 of the present invention may be dimensioned to any suitable size, to accommodate standard 12 ounce soda cans, narrower beer cans, domestic beer bottles, imported beer bottles, and the like. The layered construction of the vertical wall 100 of the beverage container sleeve 1 results in a substantially rigid device with a limited amount of flex proximate to its top edge. This flex allows for easier insertion of the beverage container 10 into, and removal from, the beverage container sleeve 1. The manufacturing process also avoids the excess waste of traditional wooden koozies, which must discard up to 90% of the wood when hollowing out the inner cavity 124.

[0035] One method of manufacture of the beverage container sleeve 1 of the present invention is hereby disclosed.

[0036] Step A: obtain a first ply 130 having a substantially rectangular shape, a width, a length, and a thickness, said first ply 130 made of wood veneer;

[0037] Step B: obtain a second ply 140 having a substantially rectangular shape, a width, a length, and a thickness, said width of the second ply 140 being substantially the same as the width of the first ply 130, said length of the second ply 140 being less than the length of the first ply 130, and said thickness of the second ply 140 being less than the thickness of the first ply 130, said second ply 140 made of wood veneer;

[0038] Step C: obtain an adhesive suitable for bonding said first ply 130 to itself and said second ply 140 to said first ply 130;

[0039] Step D: obtain a base 200, said base 200 being substantially planar and having a substantially circular shape and a substantially uniform thickness;

[0040] Step E: place the second ply 140 adjacent to the first ply 130, temporarily securing it thereto, and roll the plies 130,140 over a form to create a vertical wall 100 of the beverage container sleeve 1, beginning with the first ply 130 and finishing with the second ply 140, simultaneously applying the adhesive to the first and second plies 130,140 as they are rolled;

[0041] Step F: allow the vertical wall 100 of the beverage container sleeve 1 to harden and dry; and

[0042] Step G: insert the base 200 into a lower portion of the vertical wall 100 of the beverage container sleeve 1 and affix it thereto with adhesive;

[0043] whereby Steps A, B, C, and D may be performed in any order; Step E is performed after Steps A, B, C, and D; Step F is performed after Step E; and Step G is performed after Step F.

[0044] Another method of manufacture of the beverage container sleeve 1 of the present invention is hereby disclosed:

[0045] Step 1: Obtain the following raw materials: [0046] a. A first ply 130 of wood veneer having approximately a 1/16″ thickness [0047] b. A second ply 140 of wood veneer having a thickness of between 1/38″ and 1/42″ and a face grade veneer [0048] c. A section of dimensioned approximately 3½″×3½″ lumber for the base 200 [0049] d. Wood glue to be used as an adhesive [0050] e. A ¾″ wood screw having a flat underside for the bottle cap remover [0051] f. Stain for prepping the veneer plies 130,140 [0052] g. Semi-gloss finish for finishing the veneer plies 130,140 [0053] h. Masking tape [0054] i. Paint or colored stain

[0055] Step 2: Prepare the veneers for vertical wall 100 creation [0056] a. Cut the first ply 130 to the following dimension: approximately 18″ long by 7″ wide. [0057] b. Taper both sides of the first ply 130 with a sander, with a resulting target thickness to match the thickness of the second ply 140 [0058] c. Stain the second ply 140 [0059] d. Dry the second ply 140 thoroughly [0060] e. Create an image 144 to print onto the second ply 140 [0061] f. Add humidity to the second ply 140, with a target range of 9-12% moisture [0062] g. Insert the second ply 140 into a printer and print the image 144 onto the second ply 140, feeding the second ply 140 through the printer like card stock [0063] h. Allow the printed image 144 to dry

[0064] Step 3: Make the vertical wall 100 [0065] a. Obtain a form having an oval shaped cross-section, with the long axis of the oval being between ¼″ to ⅜″ longer than the short axis of the oval [0066] b. Tape the unprinted side of the second ply 140 to the end of the first ply 130 [0067] c. Align veneers square to the form [0068] d. Tape the first ply 130 to the form [0069] e. Apply wood glue to the leading edge of the first ply 130 [0070] f. Begin rolling the veneers onto the form [0071] g. Spread wood glue onto the veneers as the first ply 130 and then the second ply 140 are rolled onto the form [0072] h. Wrap the vertical wall 100 in paper to prevent the veneers from unrolling and allow to dry for approximately 30 to 60 minutes [0073] i. Remove the vertical wall 100 from the form [0074] j. Allow the wood glue to thoroughly dry [0075] k. Remove the binding paper from the vertical wall 100 [0076] l. Apply a finish coat to the outside of the vertical wall 100 [0077] m. Cut to length and sand edges

[0078] Step 4: Make the base 200 [0079] a. Cut the dimensioned lumber to the desired thickness: [0080] a1. Bottle version: approximately ⅞″ thick [0081] a2. Can version: approximately ⅜″ thick [0082] b. Cut the dimensioned lumber into a circle [0083] c. Drill a hole through the center of the base 200 (approximately 5/32 ″ in diameter) [0084] d. Optionally, add a bottle cap remover: using a 1½″ Forstner bit, drill a concave partial hole in the center of the base 200 to a depth of about 7/16″, add a single ¾″ screw in the concave portion just below the flush point of the bottom and offset it to one side [0085] e. Smooth the outer edges of the base 200 so that it can snugly fit inside the vertical wall 100 [0086] f. Paint or stain the base 200

[0087] Step 5: Assembly/Finish [0088] a. Glue the base 200 inside the bottom of the vertical wall 100 with wood glue, with the optional concave portion oriented outward for bottle cap removal device 220 [0089] b. Apply finish to both sides of the base 200 and to the inner surface 118 of the vertical wall 100 [0090] c. Allow to dry

[0091] Modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments of the present invention without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention.