INSULATED BOTTLE

Abstract

A liquid container system includes an inner bottle that has a base portion with a first diameter. The system also includes an outer bottle that surrounds at least a portion of the inner bottle. The outer bottle includes a mid-portion that has a second diameter, and the second diameter is less than the first diameter. The system further includes a first indent in the inner bottle that, responsive to an applied pressure, decreases the first diameter of the base portion of the inner bottle such that the first diameter is less than or equal to the second diameter.

Claims

1. A liquid container system comprising: an inner bottle that has a base portion with a first diameter; an outer bottle that surrounds at least a portion of the inner bottle, wherein the outer bottle includes a mid-portion that has a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter; and a first indent in the inner bottle that, responsive to an applied pressure, decreases the first diameter of the base portion of the inner bottle such that the first diameter is less than or equal to the second diameter, wherein the first indent is positioned entirely within the base portion of the inner bottle.

2. (canceled)

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second indent positioned in the base portion of the inner bottle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second indent is positioned opposite of the first indent on the base portion of the inner bottle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner bottle has an inner bottle mid-portion that matches a contour of the mid-portion of the outer bottle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the inner bottle also includes an inner bottle upper portion connected to the inner bottle mid-portion, and wherein the inner bottle upper portion includes threads configured to receive a lid for the inner bottle.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an insulation sleeve positioned between the inner bottle and the outer bottle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first indent is formed by a sidewall of the base portion of the inner bottle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first indent comprises a portion of the sidewall that forms a pocket which extends inward on the inner bottle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer bottle is rigid.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner bottle is semi-rigid.

12. A method of making a liquid container system, the method comprising: forming an inner bottle that has a base portion with a first diameter, a mid-portion, and an upper portion, wherein forming the base portion includes forming a first indent in the base portion such that the first indent is positioned entirely within the base portion of the inner bottle; forming an outer bottle that is sized to surround at least a portion of the inner bottle, wherein the outer bottle includes an outer bottle mid-portion that has a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter; and inserting the inner bottle into the outer bottle, wherein the inserting includes applying pressure to the base portion of the inner bottle such that the first indent decreases the first diameter of the base portion of the inner bottle such that the first diameter is less than or equal to the second diameter.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming a second indent in the base portion of the inner bottle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second indent is positioned opposite of the first indent on the base portion of the inner bottle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the mid-portion of the inner bottle is formed such that it matches a contour of the outer bottle mid-portion.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming threads on the upper portion of the inner bottle, wherein the threads are configured to receive a lid for the inner bottle.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming an insulation sleeve that is sized for placement between the inner bottle and the outer bottle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising inserting the inner bottle into the insulation sleeve to form an insulated inner bottle, and wherein inserting the inner bottle into the outer bottle comprises inserting the insulated inner bottle into the outer bottle.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the first indent comprises forming a pocket in a sidewall of the base portion of the inner bottle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein forming the first indent comprises forming the pocket such that the pocket extends into the inner bottle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Illustrative embodiments will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements. The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of a liquid container in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

[0010] FIG. 2 depicts an inner bottle in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 3A is a close-up partial view of an indent in an uncompressed inner bottle in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 3B is a close-up partial view of an indent in a compressed inner bottle in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 4A depicts an inner bottle partially inserted into an outer bottle in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

[0014] FIG. 4B depicts the inner bottle fully inserted into the outer bottle in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Traditional insulated liquid containers (e.g., water bottles) are often manufactured using a blow molding process, in which a heated material is formed into the container. Existing blow molds often limit the size and/or volume of the insulated liquid container, and using the blow molding technique to form larger liquid containers can result in overstretching of the container material. Such overstretching forms overly thin walls in the liquid container that are subject to possible failure.

[0016] Described herein is a multi-part insulated liquid container that has increased volume, and that can be formed using traditional manufacturing techniques. The liquid container is designed to have greater length and diameter, as compared to traditional liquid containers. In an illustrative embodiment, the liquid container includes an inner bottle and an outer bottle that receives and encapsulates the inner bottle. In some embodiments, the liquid container can also include an insulating sleeve that is positioned between the outer bottle and the inner bottle.

[0017] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of a liquid container in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. As shown, the liquid container includes an inner bottle 100, an insulating sleeve 105 that receives the inner bottle 100, and an outer bottle 110 that receives the insulating sleeve 105 and the inner bottle 100. In an illustrative embodiment, the inner bottle 100 is used to hold a liquid (e.g., water), and the insulating sleeve 105 is used to insulate the inner bottle 100 so that the inserted liquid remains at a desired temperature (i.e., either hot or cold as compared to the ambient environment). In alternative embodiments, the insulating sleeve 105 may not be included. In another illustrative embodiment, the inner bottle 100 and the insulating sleeve 105 (if included) are at least semi-flexible (or semi-rigid) such that the inner bottle 100 and the insulating sleeve 105 can be deformed while being placed into the outer bottle 110. The outer bottle 110 can be made from a more rigid material that provides structural integrity for the liquid container, and protection to the inner bottle 100. In one embodiment, the components of the liquid container can be made from polypropylene. Alternatively, different material(s) may be used.

[0018] As shown, the inner bottle 100 includes one or more indents that allow the inner bottle 100 to be manipulated (i.e., compressed) such that it fits into the outer bottle 110 without structural damage to the inner bottle 100 or the outer bottle 110. FIG. 2 depicts an inner bottle 200 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. The inner bottle has a base portion 205 that is ovular in shape and that tapers at its lower and upper ends such that a center of the base portion 205 has a larger diameter than the lower and upper ends of the base portion. Connected to the upper end of the base portion 205 is a mid-portion 210 that tapers outward such that a lower end of the mid-portion (i.e., that is connected to the upper end of the base portion) has a smaller diameter than the upper end of the mid-portion 210. The mid-portion 210 therefore forms a handle or grip by which a user can hold onto the inner bottle 200. An upper portion 215 of the inner bottle 200 includes a lower end that connects to the upper end of the mid-portion 210 and an upper end which includes threads to receive a lid/cap for the inner bottle 200. As shown in FIG. 1, the outer bottle similarly has a base portion, a mid-portion, and an upper portion that match the contours of the like portions on the inner bottle 200. In an illustrative embodiment, the upper portion of the outer bottle does not include threads such that a lid/cap is secured directly to the inner bottle 200.

[0019] Included on the base portion 205 is a pair of indents 220 that are positioned opposite of one another (i.e., 180 degrees apart). In alternative embodiments, fewer or additional indents may be included such that the inner bottle 200 includes 1 indent, 3 indents, four indents, etc. The indents 220 allow the inner bottle 200 to be manipulated such that a diameter of the base portion 205 decreases. This decrease in diameter allows the inner bottle 200 to be placed into an outer bottle without causing damage to either the inner bottle 200 or the outer bottle. As shown, the indents 220 are in the form of pockets (i.e., cavities) that are formed as part of the sidewalls of the base portion 205. The indents extend into the base portion 205 and form a natural crease by which the diameter of the inner bottle 200 can be decreased when pressure is applied thereto.

[0020] FIG. 3A is a close-up partial view of an indent in an uncompressed inner bottle in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. FIG. 3B is a close-up partial view of an indent in a compressed inner bottle in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. As shown by the arrows, when the inner bottle is compressed (FIG. 3B), the crease formed by the indent allows the diameter of the inner bottle to be decreased such that the inner bottle can be placed into (or removed from) an outer bottle. Specifically, the sidewalls of the pocket/cavity formed by the indent collapse inward to effectively decrease overall diameter of the base portion of the inner bottle. In an uncompressed state (FIG. 3A), with no pressure applied, the base portion of the inner bottle maintains its normal (ovular) shape.

[0021] FIG. 4A depicts an inner bottle 400 partially inserted into an outer bottle 405 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. FIG. 4B depicts the inner bottle 400 fully inserted into the outer bottle 405 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. The arrow if FIG. 4A depicts a point of contact between an outer surface of the inner bottle and an inner surface of the outer bottle. If the inner bottle was rigid and had a diameter that could not be manipulated, the inner bottle would not fit into the outer bottle without damage. However, as discussed, the indents in the inner bottle allow the diameter of the (base portion of) inner bottle to temporarily decrease while the inner bottle is being inserted into the outer bottle. This allows the base portion of the inner bottle to slide past the narrower mid-portion of the outer bottle so that, excluding the threads for the cap, the inner bottle is encapsulated by an outer bottle having the same basic shape. In one embodiment, the inner bottle (and insulation sleeve if used) can be hydraulically pressed into the outer bottle, and the process of hydraulically pressing the inner bottle causes the indents to collapse, which allows the inner bottle to pass into the outer bottle.

[0022] Still referring to FIG. 4A, it can be seen that a diameter of the (uncompressed) base portion of the inner bottle is greater than a diameter of the mid-portion of the outer bottle such that the inner bottle will not fit into the outer bottle while both are in their natural, uncompressed states. Applying pressure to the base portion of the inner bottle (through a hydraulic press, manually, etc.) compresses the base portion, and the indent(s) in the base portion allow the diameter thereof to decrease in response to the applied pressure. As a result, the diameter of the base portion of the inner bottle becomes less than the diameter of the mid-portion of the outer bottle, allowing the base portion of the inner bottle to pass into the base portion of the outer bottle. The end result is shown in FIG. 4B.

[0023] In addition to allowing the inner bottle to fit within the outer bottle without damage, the indents in the inner bottle also allow for a liquid container that has overall greater volume, as compared to traditional bottles. The indents allow for a tighter fit to be achieved between the inner bottle and the outer bottle, which means that the inner bottle conforms better to the shape of the outer bottle, allowing for more volume in the inner bottle. As an example, a traditional water bottle may hold 26 ounces of water (without an insulation sleeve). Using the proposed system, the volume of the inner bottle can be increased to 28-32 ounces (depending on whether an insulation sleeve is used) due to the improved fit between the inner and outer water bottles. In alternative embodiments, different volumes may be used for the proposed liquid containers.

[0024] The word “illustrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Further, for the purposes of this disclosure and unless otherwise specified, “a” or “an” means “one or more”.

[0025] The foregoing description of illustrative embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and of description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and as practical applications of the invention to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.