BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH INTEGRATED LID HANDLE

Abstract

A beverage container having a container body and a lid assembly removably secured to the container body, the lid assembly having a lid housing and a lid handle. The lid housing having recess in the side wall thereof. The recess having a first pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a first end of the recess, and a second pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a second end of the recess. The lid handle is pivotally connected to the lid housing with a first handle pin and a second handle pin, and moveable from a use position to a stowed position. In the stowed position the lid handle is positioned in the recess.

Claims

1. A beverage container, comprising: a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall defining a cavity, the container body having an opening at a top of the side wall to provide access to the cavity; a lid assembly removably secured to the container body, wherein the lid assembly comprises a lid housing and a lid handle; the lid housing having a top surface, a side wall extending down from the top surface, a drink opening extending through the top surface to provide access to the cavity of the container body, and a recess in the side wall of the lid housing; the recess having a bottom wall and an internal side wall, the recess extending radially inward about an arcuate portion of the side wall to receive the lid handle, wherein the recess extends at least 180 about a circumference of the side wall of the lid housing, wherein the recess has first pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a first end of the recess, wherein the recess has a second pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a second end of the recess, and wherein the recess has an engaging member to removably secure the lid handle in the recess; the lid handle being pivotally connected to the lid housing with a first handle pin and a second handle pin, and being moveable from a use position to a stowed position, wherein lid handle is arcuate in shape and has a first end and a second end, wherein the lid handle has a first opening at a first end thereof to receive the first handle pin, wherein the lid handle has a second opening at a second end thereof to receive the second handle pin, and wherein the lid handle is positioned within the recess in the stowed position; and, the first and second handle pins each having a first end and a second end, the first end having a knurled section and the second end having a smooth section, wherein the knurled section of the first handle pin engages the first pin opening in the recess of the lid housing to fix the first handle pin in place, wherein the knurled section of the second handle pin engages the second pin opening in the recess of the lid housing to fix the second handle pin in place, wherein the smooth section of the first handle pin is inserted into the first opening in the lid handle, wherein the smooth second of the second handle pin is inserted into the second opening in the lid handle, and wherein the first and second handle pins are made of metal.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein, the side wall of the lid housing is generally collinear with the side wall of the container body.

3. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the recess has a cross-sectional geometry similar to a cross-sectional geometry of the lid handle.

4. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the engaging member comprises one or more protrusions extending from the internal side wall of the recess.

5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the engaging member comprises a depression in the internal sidewall of the recess that engages a protrusion on the lid handle.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lid handle has an outer diameter that is approximately the same as an outer diameter of the lid housing.

7. The beverage container of claim 1, further comprising a sealing assembly connected to the lid housing for selectively closing the drink opening.

8. The beverage container of claim 1, further comprising a connection system to secure the lid assembly on the container body.

9. A beverage container, comprising: a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall defining a cavity, the container body having an opening at a top of the side wall to provide access to the cavity; a lid assembly removably secured to the container body, wherein the lid assembly comprises a lid housing and a lid handle; the lid housing having a top surface, a side wall extending down from the top surface, a drink opening providing access to the cavity of the container body, and a recess in the side wall of the lid housing; the recess having a bottom wall and an internal side wall, wherein the recess has a first pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a first end of the recess, and wherein the recess has a second pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a second end of the recess; the lid handle being pivotally connected to the lid housing with a first handle pin and a second handle pin, and being moveable from a use position to a stowed position, wherein lid handle has a first end and a second end, wherein the lid handle has a first opening at a first end thereof to receive the first handle pin, wherein the lid handle has a second opening at a second end thereof to receive the second handle pin, wherein the lid handle has an outer diameter that is approximately the same as an outer diameter of the lid housing, and wherein the lid handle is positioned in the recess in the stowed position; and, the first and second handle pins each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first handle pin engages the first pin opening in the recess of the lid housing, wherein the first end of the second handle pin engages the second pin opening in the recess of the lid housing, wherein the second end of the first handle pin is inserted into the first opening in the lid handle, and wherein the second end of the second handle pin is inserted into the second opening in the lid handle.

10. The beverage container of claim 99, wherein the first and second handle pins are made of metal, and wherein the lid handle and the lid housing are made of plastic.

11. The beverage container of claim 9, wherein the recess extends radially inward about an arcuate portion of the side wall to receive the lid handle.

12. The beverage container of claim 11, wherein the recess extends at least 180 about a circumference of the side wall of the lid housing.

13. The beverage container of claim 9, wherein the recess has an engaging member to removably secure the lid handle within the recess.

14. The beverage container of claim 9, wherein the first end of the first handle pin has a knurled section and the second end has a smooth section, wherein the first end of the second handle pin has a knurled section and the second end has a smooth section, wherein the knurled section of the first handle pin engages the first pin opening in the recess of the lid housing to fix the first handle pin in place, wherein the knurled section of the second handle pin engages the second pin opening in the recess of the lid housing to fix the second handle pin in place, wherein the smooth section of the first handle pin is inserted into the first opening in the lid handle, and wherein the smooth second of the second handle pin is inserted into the second opening in the lid handle.

15. The beverage container of claim 9, wherein, the side wall of the lid housing is generally collinear with the side wall of the container body.

16. A beverage container, comprising: a container body having a side wall and a bottom wall defining a cavity, the container body having an opening at a top of the side wall to provide access to the cavity; a lid assembly removably secured to the container body, wherein the lid assembly comprises a lid housing and a lid handle; the lid housing having a top surface, a side wall extending down from the top surface, a drink opening providing access to the cavity of the container body, and a recess in the side wall of the lid housing; the recess having a bottom wall and an internal side wall, the recess extending radially inward about an arcuate portion of the side wall to receive the lid handle, wherein the recess extends about a circumference of the side wall of the lid housing, wherein the recess has first pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a first end of the recess, and wherein the recess has a second pin opening in the internal side wall adjacent a second end of the recess; the lid handle being pivotally connected to the lid housing with two handle pins, and being moveable from a use position to a stowed position, wherein lid handle is arcuate in shape and has an outer diameter that is approximately the same as an outer diameter of the lid housing, wherein the lid handle has a first end and a second end, wherein the lid handle has a first opening at a first end thereof to receive a first handle pin, wherein the lid handle has a second opening at a second end thereof to receive a second handle pin, and wherein the lid handle is positioned within the recess in the stowed position; and, the first and second handle pins each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first handle pin engages the first pin opening in the recess of the lid housing, wherein the first end of the second handle pin engages the second pin opening in the recess of the lid housing, wherein the second end of the first handle pin is inserted into the first opening in the lid handle, and wherein the second end of the second handle pin is inserted into the second opening in the lid handle.

17. The beverage container of claim 16, wherein the recess has an engaging member to removably secure the lid handle within the recess

18. The beverage container of claim 16, wherein the recess has a cross-sectional geometry similar to a cross-sectional geometry of the lid handle.

19. The beverage container of claim 16, wherein the first and second handle pins are made of metal, and wherein the lid handle and the lid housing are made of plastic.

20. The beverage container of claim 16, wherein, the side wall of the lid housing is generally collinear with the side wall of the container body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] To understand the present disclosure, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments of the disclosures are illustrated and, together with the descriptions below are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, and serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage container having an integrated lid handle, with the handle in the closed position, according to the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the beverage container of FIG. 1, with the handle removed, according to the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the beverage container of FIG. 1, according to the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the beverage container of FIG. 1, according to the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a side view of one embodiment of a handle pin for a beverage container having an integrated lid handle, according to the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a beverage container having an integrated lid handle, with the handle in the closed position, according to the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the lid assembly for the beverage container of FIG. 6, according to the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a beverage container having an integrated lid handle, with the handle in the closed position, according to the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the beverage container of FIG. 8, with the handle in the open position, according to the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the handle for the beverage container of FIG. 8.

[0038] In one or more implementations, not all of the depicted components in each figure may be required, and one or more implementations may include additional components not shown in a figure. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure. Additional components, different components, or fewer components may be utilized within the scope of the subject disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] While this disclosure is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the disclosure to the embodiments illustrated. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as one of ordinary skill in the relevant art would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Further, descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the present disclosure. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the present disclosure may be practiced and to further enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law.

[0040] Generally, this disclosure describes several embodiments of beverage containers having lid assemblies with an integrated lid handle. In the embodiments, the lid handle can be transitioned from a closed position to an open position. In the closed position, the lid handle forms a continuous part of the lid assembly so that the handle generally does not extend beyond the overall shape of the lid and the overall diameter of the container body of the beverage container.

[0041] Referring now to the figures, and initially to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown an embodiment of a beverage container 10 having a lid assembly 12 and a container body 14. The lid assembly 12 generally comprises a lid housing 16 having a drink opening 18, a sealing assembly 20 for selectively closing the drink opening 18, and a handle 22. In a preferred embodiment, the lid handle 22 is pivotally connected to the lid housing 16 with two handle pins 24. The lid handle 22 can be pivoted from an open or use position as shown in FIG. 9, to a closed position as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8. Additionally, in one embodiment the lid handle 22 is removably fixed in the closed position until lifted by the user.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the container body 14 typically has a side wall 30 and a bottom wall 32 defining an internal cavity 34 for storing liquid. An opening 36 is provided at the top of the container body 14 to provide access to the internal cavity 34. The container body 14 also has a connection system 38 for securing the lid housing 16 to the container body 14 adjacent the opening 36 thereof. In one embodiment, the connection system 38 comprises a female thread component at the opening 36 of the container body 14, and the connection mechanism 40 of the lid housing 16 comprises a mating male thread component, however the reverse is acceptable, as well as a variety of other systems for securing the lid housing 16 to the container body 14.

[0043] Referring to the lid assembly 12, the lid housing 16 has a top surface 50, a side wall 52, a drink opening 18 through the top surface 50 providing access to the internal cavity 34 of the container body 14 with the lid assembly 12 is connected to the container body 14 and the scaling assembly 20 is positioned in the open position, and a recess 54 in the side wall 52 to provide a receiver for the lid handle 22 when the handle 22 is in the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8. In a preferred embodiment, the side wall 52 of the lid assembly 12 is generally collinear, or an extension, of the side wall 30 of the container body 14. Further, in a preferred embodiment the recess 54 in the side wall 52 extends radially inward about an arcuate portion of the side wall 52. In one embodiment, the recess 54 extends approximately slightly greater than 180 about the circumference of the side wall 52 of the lid housing 16.

[0044] In one embodiment, the recess 54 generally has a bottom wall 60 and an internal side wall 62 to receive the lid handle 22. The recess 54 preferably has a similar geometry to the lid handle 22. For example, if the lid handle 22 has a round cross-sectional shape the recess 54 will have an arcuate cross-sectional shape as well. If the lid handle 22 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, the recess 54 will have a rectangular cross-sectional shape as well.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the recess 54 may also have at least one first engaging member 64 to removably secure the lid handle 22 within the recess 54. In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the first engaging member 64 may be one or more protrusions 64 that may assist in removably fixing the lid handle 22 below the first engaging members 64 when pushed beyond the first engaging members 64 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first engaging member 64 may be a protrusion 66 that provides a pressure fit to exert a force on and removably retain the lid handle 22 in the closed position until lifted up by the user. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the first engaging member 64 may be a depression 68 that receives a protrusion 70 on the lid handle 22, as shown in FIG. 10, to removably retain the lid handle 22 in the recess 54 until lifted up by the user. Alternately, the recess 54 may have a protrusion that engages a depression on the lid handle 22.

[0046] As explained herein, the lid handle 22 is pivotally connected to the lid housing 16 with two handle pins 24. The lid handle 22 is generally arcuate in shape, having approximately the same outer diameter as the lid housing 16, and has a first end 76 and a second end 78. Each end 76, 78 of the lid handle 22 has an opening 80 to receive one of the handle pins 24 to allow the lid handle 22 to pivot about the handle pins 24 from the open position to the closed position. Further, the lid housing 16 has corresponding openings 82 in the internal side walls 62 of the recess 54 to receive the handle pins 24, respectively. In one embodiment, the openings 82 in the internal sidewall 62 of the recess 54 are approximately 180 apart. In one embodiment the handle pin 24 has a knurled section 84 and a smooth section 86. In a preferred embodiment each handle pin 24 is inserted into respective opening 80 in the lid housing 16 and the respective opening 82 in the lid handle 22 such that the knurled section 84 of each handle pin 24 is in the respective opening 82 in the lid housing 16 and the smooth section 86 is in the respective opening 80 in the lid handle 22. The knurled section 84 engages the opening 82 in the lid housing 16 to preferably fix the handle pin 24 in place. Further, in one embodiment the handle pins 24 are metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum to provide additional strength for supporting the lid housing 16 and connected container body 14 containing liquid contents via the lid handle 22.

[0047] In many embodiments, the lid handle 22 is shaped such that the outer wall 88 of the lid handle 22 has approximately the same shape, such as the same diameter, as the side wall 52 of the lid housing 16. In that configuration, when the lid handle 22 is lowered into the recess 54 of the lid housing 16 the lid handle 22 will operate as an extension of the lid housing 16 and have generally the same shape of the sidewall and top of the lid housing 16. Similarly, in a preferred embodiment, when the lid handle 22 is in the lowered position the top surface 90 of the lid handle 22 matches the top surface of the lid housing 16. In an alternate embodiment, the lid handle 22 may have a tab 92, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, to assist the user to manipulate the lid handle 22.

[0048] The embodiments detailed hereinabove may be combined in full or in part, with any alternative embodiments described.

[0049] A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean one and only one unless specifically stated, but rather one or more. The term some refers to one or more. Underlined and/or italicized headings and subheadings are used for convenience only, do not limit the subject technology, and are not referred to in connection with the interpretation of the description of the subject technology. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various configurations described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the subject technology. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description.

[0050] Numerous modifications to the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the disclosure. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure.

[0051] Several alternative embodiments and examples have been described and illustrated herein. A person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate the features of the individual embodiments, and the possible combinations and variations of the components. A person of ordinary skill in the art would further appreciate that any of the embodiments could be provided in any combination with the other embodiments disclosed herein. Additionally, the terms first, second, third, and fourth as used herein are intended for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the embodiments in any way. Further, the term plurality as used herein indicates any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number. Additionally, the term having as used herein in both the disclosure and claims, is utilized in an open-ended manner.

[0052] As used herein, the phrase at least one of preceding a series of items, with the terms and or or to separate any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase at least one of does not require selection of at least one item; rather, the phrase allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrases at least one of A, B, and C or at least one of A, B, or C each refer to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, and C.

[0053] To the extent that the term include, have, or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term comprise as comprise is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Phrases such as an aspect, the aspect, another aspect, some aspects, one or more aspects, an implementation, the implementation, another implementation, some implementations, one or more implementations, an embodiment, the embodiment, another embodiment, some embodiments, one or more embodiments, a configuration, the configuration, another configuration, some configurations, one or more configurations, the subject technology, the disclosure, the present disclosure, other variations thereof and alike are for convenience and do not imply that a disclosure relating to such phrase(s) is essential to the subject technology or that such disclosure applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect or some aspects may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa, and this applies similarly to other foregoing phrases.

[0054] A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean one and only one unless specifically stated, but rather one or more. The term some refers to one or more. Underlined and/or italicized headings and subheadings are used for convenience only, do not limit the subject technology, and are not referred to in connection with the interpretation of the description of the subject technology. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various configurations described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the subject technology. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase means for or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase step for.

[0055] While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of particular implementations of the subject matter. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

[0056] The title, background, brief description of the drawings, abstract, and drawings are hereby incorporated into the disclosure and are provided as illustrative examples of the disclosure, not as restrictive descriptions. It is submitted with the understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the detailed description, it can be seen that the description provides illustrative examples and the various features are grouped together in various implementations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0057] It will be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the Claims are not to be limited to the details given herein. Accordingly, while the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the disclosure and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.

[0058] Further, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims and to encompass all legal equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirements of the applicable patent law, nor should they be interpreted in such a way.