DOUBLE-WALLED DRINKING VESSEL

Abstract

The present invention relates to a double-walled drinking vessel for storing a drinkable liquid, in particular a hot beverage, comprising an inner container (12) having a wall (14) that encloses a cavity (16) for holding the liquid, has an outer surface (22), and defines a longitudinal axis (A), an outer container (26) at least partially enclosing the inner container (12), and a connecting piece (34), which is connected firmly to the outer container (26), wherein the connecting piece (34) is constructed such that it interacts with the outer surface (22) with a frictionally engaged fit and the outer container (26) can be detachably connected to the inner container (12).

Claims

1. A double-walled drinking vessel for storing a drinkable liquid, especially a hot beverage, the drinking vessel comprising: an inner container (12) having a wall (14), wherein the wall (14) encloses a cavity (16) for holding the liquid, has an outer surface (22), and defines a longitudinal axis (L), an outer container (26) at least partially enclosing the inner container (12), and a connecting piece (34) that is connected firmly to the external container (26), wherein the connecting piece (34) is constructed such that the connecting piece interacts with the outer surface (22) with a frictionally engaged fit the outer container (26) being detachably connected to the inner container (12).

2. A double-walled drinking vessel for storing a drinkable liquid, especially a hot beverage, the drinking vessel comprising: an inner container (12) having a wall (14), wherein the wall (14) encloses a cavity (16) for holding the liquid, and defines a longitudinal axis (L), an outer container (26) at least partially enclosing the inner container (12) and having an inner surface (46), and a connecting piece (34) that is connected firmly to the inner container (12), wherein the connecting piece (34) is constructed such that the connecting piece interacts with the inner surface (46) with a frictionally engaged fit the outer container (26) can be being detachably connected to the inner container (12).

3. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the connecting piece (34) has one or more flexible sections (38) that contact at least one of the outer surface (22) and the inner surface (46) when the outer container (26) is connected to the inner container (12).

4. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 3, wherein the flexible sections (38) are constructed as radial surrounding ribs (40).

5. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 3, wherein the flexible sections are constructed as segmented ribs.

6. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the connecting piece (34) is made of or includes a flexible plastic, in particular an elastomer.

7. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the outer container (26) is made of or includes a plastic, in particular a thermoplastic.

8. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 6, wherein the connecting piece (34) is molded on by injection molding over the outer container (26).

9. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 6, wherein the outer container (26) comprises a tubular first container section (28) and a disk-shaped second container section (30).

10. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 9, wherein the first and the second container sections (28, 30) are welded to each other.

11. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the outer container (26) is made of or includes metal.

12. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the inner container (12) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, porcelain, plastic, and metal.

13. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the connecting piece (34) is constructed such that an intermediate space (41) is formed between the inner container (12) and the outer container (26).

14. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 13, wherein the outer container (26) has a hole (44) passing through its wall.

15. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the connecting piece (34) has a recess (36) in which the outer container (26) can be inserted.

16. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 1, wherein the wall (14) of the inner container (12) forms an opening (18) for filling and pouring the drinkable liquid and has, with respect to the longitudinal axis (L), two or more segments (24) having different diameters (D), wherein a first segment (241) has a first diameter (D1) and a second segment (242) has a second diameter (D2) that is smaller than the first diameter (D1), the first segment (241) is arranged, with respect to the opening (18), along the longitudinal axis (L) before of the second segment (242), and the connecting piece (34) interacts with the outer surface (22) in the second segment (242).

17. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 16, wherein the wall (14) has a third segment (24.sub.3) having a third diameter (D.sub.3), which is arranged, with respect to the opening (18), along the longitudinal axis (L) beyond the second segment (24.sub.2) and the third diameter (D.sub.3) is greater than the second diameter (D.sub.2) and less than the first diameter (D.sub.1).

18. The double-walled drinking vessel according to claim 16, wherein the wall (14) has a third segment (24.sub.3) having a third diameter (D.sub.3), which is arranged, with respect to the opening (18), along the longitudinal axis (L) beyond the second segment (24.sub.2) and the third diameter (D.sub.3) is smaller than the second diameter (D.sub.2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0028] In the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a drinking vessel according to the invention in an unassembled state,

[0030] FIG. 2 the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the drinking vessel according to the invention in the assembled state,

[0031] FIG. 3 a second embodiment of the drinking vessel according to the invention in the assembled state,

[0032] FIG. 4 a third embodiment of the drinking vessel according to the invention in the assembled state,

[0033] FIG. 5 a fourth embodiment of the drinking vessel according to the invention in the assembled state, and

[0034] FIG. 6a fifth embodiment of the drinking vessel according to the invention in the assembled state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] In FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a double-walled drinking vessel 10.sub.1 according to the invention for storing a drinkable liquid, in particular a hot beverage, is shown using a side sectional representation. The drinking vessel 10.sub.1 comprises an inner container 12 having a wall 14 that encloses a cavity 16. The wall 14 forms an opening 18 through which the drinkable liquid is filled into the cavity 16 and can be poured out from the cavity 16. The opening 18 is surrounded by a drinking edge 20. Furthermore, the wall 14 has an outer surface 22 and defines a longitudinal axis L of the drinking vessel 10.sub.1.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the wall 14 of the inner container 12 has a first segment 24.sub.1 having a first diameter D.sub.1 and a second segment 24.sub.2 having a second diameter D.sub.2, wherein the second diameter D.sub.2 is smaller than the first diameter D.sub.1. With respect to the opening 18 the second segment 24.sub.2 is arranged beyond the first segment 24.sub.k. The diameter D should relate to the outer surface 22, thus it should represent the outer diameters of the respective segments 24 and comprise the wall thickness of the wall 14. At the transition between the two segments 24.sub.1 and 24.sub.2, the wall 14 runs nearly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, so that a step 25 is produced.

[0037] In addition, the drinking vessel 10.sub.1 comprises an outer container 26 that has an essentially tubular first container section 28 and an essentially disk-shaped second container section 30 that are connected firmly to each other. The connection can be constructed as a plug-in connection or as an adhesive connection. However, because the two container sections 28, 30 are preferably produced from a plastic, depending on the plastic being used, the connection could also be constructed as a weld connection.

[0038] At an open end 32 of the first container section 28 there is a connecting piece 34, which is shown enlarged in the detail section X. The connecting piece 34 has a recess 36 in which the outer container 26 can be inserted with the first section 28. In the area of the open end 32 that is surrounded by the connecting piece 34, the outer container 26 in the first container section 28 has a reduced wall thickness (see detail X). The wall thickness decreases stepwise, namely once from the inner side and once from the outer side of the outer container 26. The connecting piece 34 can be connected to the outer container 26 by a friction fit or also by other joining methods, such as welding or bonding. Alternatively, the connecting piece 34 could be molded onto the outer container 26.

[0039] The connecting piece 34 has a flexible section 38 that is constructed, in the shown embodiment, as a radial surrounding rib 40. The phrase “radial surrounding” should be understood to mean that the rib 40, in a top view, has a ring-like shape and is constructed without breaks. Even though the inner container 12 is shown together in FIG. 1, the rib 40 is shown in a starting position that it assumes in the non-assembled state, that is, when the inner container 12 is not connected to the outer container 26, which will be explained in more detail below.

[0040] In FIG. 2, the first embodiment of the drinking vessel 10.sub.1 according to the invention is shown in the assembled state. The phrase “assembled state” should be understood to mean the state in which the outer container 26 is fastened to the inner container 12. To fasten the outer container 26 to the inner container 12, the inner container 12 is inserted through the open end 32 of the first container section 28 into the outer container 26 until the connecting piece 34 contacts the step 25. The user could indeed insert the inner container 12 less far into the outer container 26, but the step 25 offers him a good orientation aid for how the outer container 26 must be positioned axially relative to the inner container 12, in order to guarantee a more secure connection.

[0041] As can be seen in FIG. 1, viewed from the connecting piece 34, the rib 40 runs radially inward and in the starting position approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. It can be further seen that the rib 40 projects radially inward past the inner container 12, that is, has an oversize. In other words, the radial inner end of the rib 40 forms a rib inner diameter R that is smaller than the second diameter D.sub.2 of the wall 14 in the second segment 24.sub.2. The result of this is that, while inserting the inner container 12 into the outer container 26, the rib 40 is bent toward the disk-shaped second container section 30 of the outer container 26 and consequently partially contacts the outer surface 22 of the inner container 12, as can be seen in FIG. 2. This profile is designated the final position. Due to the stress relationships resulting in the rib 40 and its flexibility, it tries to return to its starting position. In this way, a normal force is applied onto the outer surface 22 of the inner container 12. Consequently, between the outer surface 22 and the part of the rib 40 that contacts the outer surface 22, there is a holding force that acts along the longitudinal axis L and ensures that the outer container 26 is mounted detachably on the inner container 12. The holding force must be overcome by the user in order to insert the inner container 12 into the outer container 26 so far that it contacts the step 25.

[0042] The second diameter D.sub.2 is smaller than the inner diameter D.sub.1 of the outer container 26, so that an intermediate space 41 remains between the inner container 12 and the outer container 26.

[0043] The holding force can be controlled, among other things, by the properties of the contacting surfaces, especially their roughness, and by the degree of flexibility or the hardness of the rib 40. Furthermore, the length and thickness of the rib 40 are important for the holding force. In the shown example the connecting piece 34 has only one rib 40, but two or more ribs could also be provided, which could be offset axially and not necessarily radially closed, but instead could be segmented.

[0044] For detaching the outer container 26 from the inner container 12, the two containers 26 are pulled away from each other.

[0045] To prevent the air in the intermediate space 41 from being compressed when the inner container 12 is inserted into the outer container 26 and to prevent the air from forming a vacuum pressure when removing the two containers 12, 26 from each other, a hole 44 is provided in the outer container 26, which runs completely through the outer container 26. Air can be pushed out from the intermediate space 41 through the hole 44 upon connection and can be sucked into the intermediate space upon separation, so that the connecting and disconnecting process can be performed with relatively little force.

[0046] In FIG. 3, a second embodiment of the drinking vessel 10.sub.2 according to the invention is shown using a side sectional representation. In comparison to the first embodiment 10.sub.1, the wall 14 of the inner container 12 has, in addition to the first and second segments 24.sub.1 and 24.sub.2, a third segment 24.sub.3 that is arranged with respect to the opening 18 beyond the second segment 24.sub.2. The third segment 24.sub.3 has a third diameter D.sub.3 that is greater than the second diameter D.sub.2 but smaller than the first diameter D.sub.1. At the transition from the second segment 24.sub.2 into the third segment 24.sub.3, the inner container 12 forms another step 42. The second segment 24.sub.2 thus forms an indentation 43 that is surrounded by a segment 24 having larger diameter D. In comparison to the first embodiment 10.sub.1, the second diameter D.sub.2 is smaller, so that consequently also the rib inner diameter D.sub.1 is selected smaller and the rib 40 has a larger radial extent (not shown explicitly). This ensures that the holding force is sufficiently large to mount the outer container 26 securely on the inner container 12.

[0047] When inserting the inner container 12 into the outer container 26, a somewhat different situation is presented to the user in comparison with the first embodiment 10.sub.1. While in the first embodiment 10.sub.1 the rib 40 is essentially always opposed to the same axial holding force to be overcome when inserting the inner container 12 until the outer container 26 contacts the step 25, the holding force is greater in the third segment 24.sub.3 than in the second segment 24.sub.2 due to the stronger bending of the rib 40. The user thus feels a relatively abrupt change of the holding force to be overcome when the rib 40 transitions from the third segment 24.sub.3 into the second segment 24.sub.2. This is a clear sign for the user that the outer container 26 is nearly contacting the step 25 and thus has reached its provided position.

[0048] When detaching the containers, an inverse sequence of the holding forces to be overcome is presented. In particular, the rib 40 must be guided over the additional step 42, which is associated with a noticeably increased expenditure of force. The additional step 42 and the third segment 24.sub.3 having the larger third diameter D.sub.3 ensure that the outer container 26 cannot unintentionally or uncontrollably detach from the inner container 12.

[0049] In FIG. 4, a third embodiment of the drinking vessel 10.sub.3 according to the invention is shown. The wall 14 of the inner container 12 likewise has three segments 24.sub.1 to 24.sub.3, wherein the third diameter D.sub.3 of the third segment 24.sub.3 is smaller than the second diameter D.sub.2 of the second segment 24.sub.2. In this case the third diameter D.sub.3 is smaller than the rib internal diameter D.sub.1 not shown explicitly, so that the rib 40 is not yet bent in the third segment 24.sub.3 and thus the user does not have to overcome a holding force. Only when the rib 40 enters into the second segment 24.sub.2 must the user overcome the holding force acting between the outer surface 22 and the rib 40. The distance to the step 25 is then no longer large, so that the outer container 26 can be quickly connected to the inner container 12 and can be detached from it.

[0050] In all cases the diameters D.sub.1, D.sub.2, and/or D.sub.3 remain constant within the associated segments 24.sub.1 to 24.sub.3, so that the segments 24.sub.1 to 24.sub.3 are cylindrical. Alternatively, the diameters D.sub.1, D.sub.2, and/or D.sub.3 can change within one of the segments 24.sub.1 to 24.sub.3, so that the segments have, for example, the shape of a truncated cone. Obviously, the inner container can have more than three segments 24. In addition, the outer container 26 can also comprise segments having different diameters.

[0051] In all cases, the position of the step 25 is adjusted to the length of the outer container 26 so that the intermediate space 41 is formed not only between the first container section 28 and the inner container 12, but also between the second container section 30 and the inner container 12. Consequently, the outer container 26 and the inner container 12 are contacted only by the connecting piece 34.

[0052] In FIG. 5, a fourth embodiment of the drinking vessel 10.sub.4 according to the invention is shown, wherein the wall 14 of the inner container 12 has no diameter changes and no segments. Consequently, the user is free in the axial positioning of the outer container 26 relative to the inner container 12 until the inner container 12 contacts the second container section 30. In this embodiment, due to the lack of the step 25, it is not guaranteed that the intermediate space 41 is also formed between the second container section 30 and the inner container 12.

[0053] In FIG. 6, a fifth embodiment of the drinking vessel 10.sub.5 according to the invention is shown, which is largely the same as the second embodiment 10.sub.2 shown in FIG. 3. In contrast to the second embodiment, however, in the fifth embodiment 10.sub.5 the connecting piece 34 is arranged in the indentation 43 of the inner container 12. The connecting piece 34 can have a certain amount of elasticity, so that it can be pushed with a suitable tool over the third segment 243 of the inner container 12 into the indentation 43. The ribs 40 point outward and then interact with an inner surface 46 of the outer container 26, when the outer container 26 is connected to the inner container 12. While the ribs 40 in the other embodiments of the drinking vessel 10.sub.1 to 10.sub.4 are tilted toward the base of the drinking vessel for connecting the outer container 26 to the inner container 12, in the fifth embodiment of the drinking vessel 10.sub.5 they are turned toward the opening 18.

[0054] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.