BEVERAGE CONTAINER

CONTENEUR DE BOISSON

English Abstract

A drinking container includes a cup vessel with an interior space
for receiving a liquid and a container opening at the top, a
closure device for closing the container opening, and a mixing
device having a movable wire element configured as a flat elastic
spiral. One spiral end portion of the spiral is mounted on the
cup vessel or the closure element, while the other spiral end
portion of the spiral ends freely in the container interior
space. Thereby the spiral is freely swingingly movable at least
in a linear axial direction in the container interior space due
to its self-weight when the container is shaken.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un conteneur de boisson avec un espace intérieur destiné à recevoir un liquide, avec une ouverture de conteneur située de préférence en haut, dans lequel est placé un dispositif de mélangeage constitué d'un élément filaire mobile. L'invention est caractérisée en ce que l'élément filaire prend la forme d'une spirale plate et élastique (3) dont l'une des extrémités est fixée sur le conteneur de boisson (7) ou sur son élément de fermeture, tandis que l'autre extrémité de la spirale (3) se termine librement dans l'espace du conteneur. La spirale (3) est construite de manière que, sous l'effet d'un mouvement du conteneur et de son propre poids, elle puisse se déplacer en oscillant librement au moins dans une direction linéaire dans l'espace intérieur du conteneur.

Claims

Claims:
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. Drinking container with a container interior space for
receiving a liquid with a container opening arranged on a
top side, and with a closure element that closes the
container opening, and a mixing device arranged in the
container interior space, which mixing device comprises a
movable wire element, characterized in that the wire
element is embodied as a flat elastic spiral, which is
mounted with a first end of the spiral on the drinking
container or the closure element thereof, while a second
end of the spiral ends freely in the container interior
space, whereby the spiral is embodied so that it is freely
swingingly movable at least in a linear direction in the
container interior space due to a container motion and its
self-weight.
2. Drinking container according to claim 1, characterized iii
that the spiral comprises a centrally arranged material
agglomeration as a weight element.
3. Drinking container according to claim 2, characterized in
that the material agglomeration is constructed cone-shaped.
4. Drinking container according to claim 2, characterized in
that the material agglomeration is arranged spider-shaped.
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5. Drinking container according to claim 2, characterized in
that the material agglomeration is constructed grid-shaped
or screen-shaped.
6. Drinking container according to one of the preceding claims
1 to 5, characterized in that elements for fixing the
spiral are applied on the container opening or in the
closure element itself.
7. Drinking container according to one of the preceding claims
1 to 6, characterized in that the container has a course
that tapers narrower toward a bottom of the container.
8. Drinking container according to one of the preceding claims
1 to 7, characterized in that a motion play space of the
spiral itself toward a bottom of the container is larger
than toward the closure element.
9. Drinking container according to one of the preceding claims
1 to 8, characterized in that a motion play space of the'
spiral is limited by a flat extending portion of the
closure element.
10. Drinking container according to one of the preceding claims
1 to 9, characterized in that the spiral consists of an
elastic metal or synthetic plastic.
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11. A drinking container comprising a container vessel with a
container interior space for receiving a liquid and a
container opening arranged on a top side of the container
vessel, a closure element that selectively opens and closes
the container opening, and a mixing device comprising a
wire element, which is configured as a flat elastic spiral
that is mounted with one end of the spiral rigidly and
stationarily secured on the container vessel or the closure
element, and an other end of the spiral ends freely in the
container interior space, whereby the spiral is freely
swingingly movable at least in a linear direction in-the
container interior space due to its self-weight in response
to a shaking motion of the drinking container.
12. The drinking container according to claim 11, wherein the
mixing device further comprises a centrally arranged
material agglomeration as a weight element on the other end
of the spiral.
13. The drinking container according to claim 12, wherein the
material agglomeration is cone-shaped.
14. The drinking container according to claim 12, wherein the
material agglomeration is spider-shaped.
15. The drinking container according to claim 12, wherein the
material agglomeration is grid-shaped or screen-shaped.
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16. The drinking container according to claim 11, further
comprising at least one fixing element that fixedly mounts
the one end of the spiral, on the container vessel at the
container opening or in the closure element.
17. The drinking container according to claim 11, wherein the
container vessel has a shape that tapers narrower toward a
container bottom of the container vessel.
18. The drinking container according to claim 11, wherein the
flat elastic spiral exhibits a motion play of the other end
thereof which is larger toward a container bottom of the
container vessel than toward the closure element.
19. The drinking container according to claim 11, wherein the
other'end of the flat elastic spiral is movable within a
motion play space in the container interior space, and the
motion play space is limited by a flat extending portion of
the closure element.
20. The drinking container according to claim 11, wherein the
flat elastic spiral consists of an elastic metal or a
synthetic plastic.
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21. A beverage shaker comprising:
a vessel bounding an inner space adapted to contain a
beverage therein, and having an opening at a top end
thereof;
a closure arrangement that is releasably securable
onto said vessel so as to cover and close said opening; and
a mixing element comprising a flexible spiral that has
a first spiral end portion thereof rigidly and stationarily
secured to said closure arrangement or to said vessel
adjacent said opening thereof;
wherein:
said flexible spiral is flexibly deflectable to
alternately take on a first spiral configuration and a
second spiral configuration in reaction to a shaking motion
of said beverage shaker,
in said first spiral configuration said flexible
spiral has a substantially flat spiral shape lying
substantially on a plane parallel to said opening, and
in said second spiral configuration said flexible
spiral has a vortex spiral shape extending downwardly into
said inner space of said vessel.
22. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
first spiral end portion is secured to said closure
arrangement.
23. The beverage shaker according to claim 22, wherein said
closure arrangement comprises a closure cap that iS
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releasably securable onto said vessel so as to selectively
close said opening, and wherein said first spiral end
portion is secured to said closure cap.
24. The beverage shaker according to claim 22, wherein said
first spiral end portion is secured to said closure
arrangement by insertion or plugging-in of said first
spiral end portion into a receiving portion of said closure
arrangement.
25. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
first spiral end portion is secured to said vessel by
insertion or plugging-in of said first spiral end portion
into said opening of said vessel.
26. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
mixing element further comprises a mounting element that
comprises a continuous circular collar to which said first
spiral end portion is secured, and which is secured to said
closure arrangement or to said vessel whereby said first
spiral end portion is secured to said closure arrangement
or to said vessel via said collar.
27. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
mixing element spans across an entire open area of said
opening of said vessel.
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28. The beverage shaker according to claim 27, wherein said
flexible spiral of said mixing element forms a sieve across
said entire open area of said opening of said vessel when
at rest with no shaking motion applied to said beverage
shaker.
29. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
flexible spiral further alternately takes on a third spiral'
configuration in reaction to the shaking motion of said
beverage shaker, and in said third spiral configuration
said flexible spiral has an upwardly extending vortex
spiral shape that extends upwardly into said closure
arrangement.
30. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
first spiral end portion is a radially outer portion of
said flexible spiral, said spiral further has a radially
inner second spiral end portion, said mixing element
further comprises a shaking element connected to said
second spiral end portion, and said shaking element
comprises one of a material thickening, a pyramid shaped
element, a conical element, a hemispherical element, a
sieve, a screen, a grid-shaped element, or a spider-shaped
element.
31. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
vessel has a tapering conical shape that tapers narrower
toward a bottom of said vessel, and wherein said vortex
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spiral shape of said flexible spiral in said second spiral
configuration is a tapering conical shape that matches a
taper of said tapering conical shape of said vessel.
32. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
mixing element consists of said spiral spring and
optionally further a movable shaking element connected to
a radially inner spiral end portion of said spiral spring.
33. The beverage shaker according to claim 21, wherein said
first spiral end portion is a radially outer spiral end
portion of said flexible spiral, and said radially outer
spiral end portion is connected directly to a rigid
receiving fixture provided in said vessel on a perimeter of
said opening or at an outer periphery of an inner surface
of said closure arrangement.
34. A beverage shaker comprising:
a vessel bounding an inner space adapted to contain A
beverage therein, and having an opening at a top end
thereof;
a closure cap that is releasably secured onto said
vessel so as to cover and close said opening; and
a sieve, of which an outer peripheral portion ig
secured rigidly and stationarily to said closure cap or to
said vessel adjacent said opening thereof, wherein said
sieve spans across an entire open area of said opening.
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35. The beverage shaker according to claim 34, wherein said
sieve comprises a flexible spiral spring that spans across
said entire open area of said opening.
36. The beverage shaker according to claim 34, wherein said
sieve is secured to said closure cap by insertion or
plugging-in of said outer peripheral portion of said sieve
into a receiving fixture provided at an outer periphery of
an inner surface of said closure cap.
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Description

CA 02742236 2013-04-09
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Beverage Container
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a drinking or beverage container with
a mixing element therein.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Presently there are numerous shakers, mixing cups and bottles
that are provided for the intermixing of various different
ingredients. These ingredients are usually powder and liquid.
These shakers or mixing cups are supposed to make possible or
improve the intermixing of these ingredients. For this, one
fills the substances to be intermixed into the mixing container
and closes it with a lid element. Through a shaking motion that
is preferably carried out with the hand, the substances in the
mixing container are intermixed with one another.
In order to make possible an improved intermixing, these mixing
cups/shakers are offered with various different auxiliary
elements and/or with a special shape or form design.
Presently various different ones of these devices are known. A
current popular model would be the shaker with insertable beatin4
screen. This screen is fixed on or inserted in the container
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CA 02742236 2013-04-09
opening preferably before the intermixing and after filling the
mixing container with the substances that are to be intermixed.
Thereafter the mixing container is closed with the lid element.
Thereafter the filled-in substances, usually liquid and powder,
are moved through the screen by the shaking motion. Thereby an
improved intermixing takes place. These
insertable screen
elements are mostly arranged in a grid or turbine shape.
A further device for improving the intermixing process are
specially shaped, curved or oscillating inner walls in the mixing
container. These special walls are preferably provided on the
inner area of the lid element or on the floor of the cup element.
During the shaking process, these stated walls cause a certain
determined motion or progression of the substances. Due to this
swirling or whirlpool-like motion of the substances, the liquid
and powder or liquid and liquid intermix better.
A further device is known from a US Patent (6,379,032). A freely
movable, non-fixed, grid-shaped produced metal ball optimizes the
intermixing of the filled-in substances, in that it moves in the
inner area through the interior space of the mixing container
during the shaking motion. Due to its smaller shape and its own
self-weight, it moves further in the interior space of the mixing
container in the direction of the shaking motion being carried
out, even if the substances (liquid/powder) to be intermixed are
stopped by the wall boundary, and it improves the intermixing of
the substances due to its grid-like fine-meshed body. The
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CA 02742236 2013-04-09
variant actually produced as a product is known as BlenderBottle
(www.blenderbottle.com).
All of these devices have their advantages, but also weaknesses.
For example, the screen to be inserted is quickly gummed-up with
hard-to-mix substances, due to a lack of a self-motion. However,
in the intermixing under normal conditions the screen guarantees
an optimal mixing behavior due to its very tightly spaced meshes.
The BlenderBall from the known US Patent provides a good result
even with hard-to-intermix substances, and a gumming-up is
prevented by its self-motion in the mixing container. However,
the BlenderBall is not so fine-meshed as a grid screen, and due
to its small size it is not as surfacially covering as a screen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is the underlying object of the invention, to
combine the advantages of both devices in one element.
This object is achieved by the invention in a drinking container
or beverage shaker with features as set forth herein. A mixing
element according to the invention comprises a flexible spiral,
of which one spiral end portion is secured to the vessel or its
closure arrangement. Further according to another aspect of the
invention, a sieve may be secured to the closure arrangement or
to the vessel adjacent to the opening, and further this sieve my
comprise a spiral.
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CA 02742236 2013-04-09
The invention has the advantage that the intermixing is optimized
due to the movability of the spiral-shaped insertable auxiliary
element, in that it avoids a gumming-up due to the motion in the
interior space during the shaking process, but acts like a screen
or sieve upon the return motion.
Advantageously, the spiral shape becomes smaller in diameter in
the condition pulled out toward the cup bottom, and thus fits
optimally to the shape of the most common present shaker models,
and thus guarantees an optimal surface coverage.
Additionally, the spiral is easy to clean and to insert. For the
same mixing result, normally two auxiliary elements (screen/ball)
would have to be inserted and cleaned.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in further detail in connection
with an example embodiment, which is illustrated in the drawings,
wherein:
Fig. 1: shows a spiral-shaped device for the improvement of
the mixing result with device for fixing;
Fig. la: shows a spiral-shaped device for the improvement of
the mixing result with device for insertion;
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CA 02742236 2013-04-09
Fig. lb: shows material agglomerations preferably centrally
arranged (A cone / B half-sphere / C screen or grid /
D spider shape);
Fig. 2: shows a cup element/container;
Fig. 3: shows a spiral motion during the shaking process in
the direction toward the cup bottom;
Fig. 4: shows the spiral motion / condition during the shaking
process in the direction toward the lid element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
io In Fig. 1, a spiral-shaped device is shown, which can be fixed
with its fixing device (1) preferably on the lid element or on
the container opening. That can preferably be achieved by
insertion or plugging-in. Due
to the spiral shape (3), a
screen-like or sieve-like structure arises, which compriges
15 mesh-like through openings (4). A material thickening (2) is
located preferably arranged in the center, in order to strengthen
the self-motion of the spiral in the direction toward the cup
bottom during the shaking process.
Fig. la illustrates the same spiral-shape device, with the
20 difference, that the fixing device is now preferably designed as
a collar or crown (5) for laying in contact on a device =in the
cup element. A further difference relative to the model
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Fig. 1 is that the material thickening in the center of the
spiral is omitted, but the same effect of the strengthened
self-motion is achieved with a material thickening in the entire
extent of the spiral arm or by a special selection of a heavier
material.
In Fig. lb, various different models of the material thickening
are shown in respective sub-figures. Sub-figure lbA shows a
pyramid-like device, which points downwardly and thus aims to
separate or disperse the water masses in the shake itself.
In sub-figure lbB, a half sphere is shown, which also points
downwardly and shall achieve the same effect like sub-figure lbA.
Sub-figure lbC shows a material thickening in the form of a
screen or sieve, in order to achieve a further improvement in the
mixing behavior. An advantage in this device is that it involves
a moving screen, because it springs up and down during the
shaking process. ;
In sub-figure lbD, a spider-shaped element is shown at the center
of the spiral. This is to improve the optical effect, and to act
or seem like a spider in the web.
In Fig. 2, the cup (6) and the lid (12) of the beverage shaker
or drinking container are schematically shown, whereby the cup
preferably maintains the tapering shape that is typical' ñ the
market. Due to the spacing distances of the cup side walls (8/9)
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CA 02742236 2013-04-09
=
becoming smaller toward the bottom or floor, the shape of the cup
is fitted or adapted to the tapering progression of the swung
spiral. Preferably the lid (12) is fixed on the container
opening at the top (7) of the cup (6) by a threading or a plug-in
device.
In Fig. 3, the course or configuration of the spiral (10) during
the shaking process in the direction toward the cup bottom or
floor is illustrated. Due to the spiral shape and the therefore
ever-tapering or tightening course in the extended or pulldd-out
condition, the spiral is thus fitted or adapted to the downwardi
tapering course of the container.
In Fig. 4, the course or configuration of the spiral (11) during
the shaking process in the direction toward the lid element is
illustrated. The spiral now has a screen or sieve shape, because
it is not extended or pulled out. This can be achieved in that
the lid element is arranged so that only a small motion play or
clearance space is permitted. A further possibility would be
-:µ
that the character of the spiral is to be designed so that it has
a larger motion play or clearance space toward the cup bottom and
a smaller motion play or clearance space toward the lid element.
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Representative Drawing