Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02806998 2013-02-15
YAKEC01\4592 USWSPTO\Spec & Clms FINAL 2130213.wpd
BEVERAGE CONTAINER HOLDER AND INSULATOR
Related Application
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Canadian Patent Application
Serial No. 2,769,055, filed 17 February 2012.
Field of the Invention
[0002] There is described an apparatus for holding a beverage container
that
was developed for use with umbrellas, but has wider potential application and
an
associated method for the use of that apparatus.
Background of the Invention
[0003] On sunny days, it is common to see persons walking down the street
with one hand holding a cup and the other hand free to use a mobile phone,
hold
the leash of a pet or hold the hand of a child. On rainy days, with one hand
occupied by an umbrella and the other hand occupied with the cup, there is no
longer a hand that is free.
Summary of the Invention
[0004] In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for
supporting a beverage container in releasable engagement with a longitudinally
extending member, the longitudinally extending member in use generally
maintained in a substantially vertical orientation, the apparatus including: a
beverage container receptacle; a flap having a proximal end and distal end,
wherein
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the flap proximal end is attached to the beverage container receptacle at a
flap-
receptacle joint, and the flap being flexible at least in the vicinity of the
flap proximal
end; a friction sheet spanning the flap-receptacle joint with a first edge of
the
friction sheet attached to the receptacle and second edge of the friction
sheet
attached to the flap; and a fastener for releasably securing a portion of the
flap in
the vicinity of the flap distal end to the beverage container receptacle,
whereby in
use the apparatus is releasably engaged with a longitudinally extending member
by
placing a portion of the member between the flap and beverage container
receptacle and securing the flap to the beverage container receptacle;
wherein, the
friction sheet is sized such that when the apparatus is engaged with the
longitudinally extending member, the friction sheet bunches and folds to
provide
augmented frictional engagement with the longitudinally extending member.
[0005] The beverage container receptacle may be a flexible open-ended
tapered sleeve. The sleeve may include an outside fabric, an insulation, a
mesh
and an inside fabric. The outside fabric may be cotton; the insulation may be
a
batting of hollow polyester fibers with a reflective metalized poly film; the
mesh may
be a 9 oz per sq yd, fiber-based polyester scrim coated with PVC, 1,000
Denier,
with a basket weave - 11 warp 11 weft; and the inside fabric may be cotton.
The
sleeve may be leather. The sleeve may have a height of about 3 3/4 inches, a
top
circumference of about 10 inches and a bottom circumference of about 8 1/4
inches.
[0006] The friction sheet may be a non-slip, solid foam plastic. The
friction
sheet may be a 2 mm, non-slip, solid foam plastic. The friction sheet may be
silicon.
[0007] The fastener is a hook and loop fastener. The hook part of the hook
and loop fastener may be affixed to the receptacle and the loop part of the
hook
and loop fastener may be affixed to the flap.
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[0008] The
beverage container receptacle and flap may be made from a single
flexible component having a first end and a second end, by affixing the
component
first end to an intermediate location along the length of the component,
whereby the
beverage container receptacle is defined by the portion of the component from
the
first end to the intermediate location and the flap is the portion of the
component
from the intermediate location to the component second end. The component may
have a plurality of layers. The component may be a single layer.
Summary of the Drawings
[0009]
Figure 1 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the present
invention, shown installed on the tube of an umbrella and holding a beverage
container.
[0010]
Figure 2 is an elevation view of the embodiment of Figure 1, shown
in use with a beverage container.
[0011]
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1, shown
with the flap in the open position.
[0012]
Figure 4 is a stylized top plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1,
shown with the flap in the open position.
[0013]
Figure 5 is a stylized, partially sectional, top plan view of the
embodiment of Figure 1, shown installed on a small umbrella tube.
[0014]
Figure 6 is a stylized, partially sectional, top plan view of the
embodiment of Figure 1, shown installed on a large umbrella tube.
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[0015]
Figure 7 is a stylized sectional view of the layers of the sleeve of the
embodiment of Figure 1.
Detailed Description with Reference to the Drawings
[0016] As
shown in the drawings, embodiments of the present invention
include a holder 20 comprising a sleeve 22, flap 24, friction sheet 26, and
hook and
loop fastener comprising a hook material 28 and a loop material 30.
[0017] The
sleeve 22 is flexible, and is shaped and sized to receive a
beverage container, for example, as indicated in the drawings, a disposable
coffee
cup 32 with a lid 34. The sleeve 22 is open at the sleeve top 40 and the
sleeve
bottom 42. The sleeve 22 is tapered to generally follow the external shape of
a
disposable coffee cup 32.
[0018] As
shown in Figure 7, the sleeve 22 comprises an outside fabric 50,
insulation 52, mesh 54 and inside fabric 56.
[0019] In a
preferred embodiment, the outside fabric 50 is 100% cotton.
However, the outside fabric 50 could be: a natural fabric such as cotton,
linen, silk,
wool or blends of these; a synthetic fabric such as polyester, rayon, fleece,
felt,
faux fur, metallic, vinyl, oilcloth, bonded leather or any combination of
these;
leather or hides; and combinations of these.
[0020] In a
preferred embodiment, the insulation 52 is a batting of hollow
polyester fibers with a reflective metalized poly film, for example Insul-
Bright TM.
However, the insulation 52 could be: cotton batting, wool batting, polyester
batting
or a blending of different battings.
[0021] The
mesh 54 provides a desired stiffening to the holder 20 and spaces
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the inside fabric 56 from the insulation 52 so as to facilitate drying should
either or
both of the inside fabric 56 and insulation 52 become damp. In a preferred
embodiment, the mesh 54 is a 9 oz per sq yd, fiber-based polyester scrim
coated
with PVC, 1,000 Denier, with a basket weave - 11 warp 11 weft. A suitable
product
is 911 Mesh TM. However, the mesh 54 could be any woven or knit fiber that is
heat
resistant and provides a stiffness akin to the preferred mesh material.
[0022] In a
preferred embodiment, the inside fabric 56 is 100% cotton.
However, the inside fabric 56 could be: a natural fabric such as cotton,
linen, silk,
wool or blends of these; a synthetic fabric such as polyester, rayon, fleece,
felt,
faux fur, metallic, vinyl, oilcloth, bonded leather or any combination of
these;
leather or hides; and combinations of these. The outside fabric 59 and the
inside
fabric 56 need not be the same material.
[0023] The
flap 24 is attached to the sleeve 22 at the flap-sleeve joint 60. In
a preferred embodiment the flap 24 and sleeve 22 are made from a single
component (either a pre-assembled multi layer component, having layers as
described above with respect to the sleeve 22, or a single-layer component,
for
example, a piece of leather) in which the sleeve 22 is formed by folding the
component over on itself and sewing an end of the component at an intermediate
location along the length of the component so as to define the flap 24.
[0024] The
friction sheet 26 spans the flap-sleeve joint 60. In a preferred
embodiment, the friction sheet 26 is 2 mm, non-slip, solid foam plastic. A
suitable
product is WonderLiner Solid Tm . Other non-slip products may also be used,
for
example silicon materials may be suitable. Preferably, the friction sheet 26
is made
from a non-adhesive material. As indicated in Figure 4, the friction sheet 26
is
attached to the sleeve 22 at an edge of the friction sheet 26 and the friction
sheet
26 is attached to the flap 24 at the opposite edge of the friction sheet 26.
The
amount of friction sheet 26 material is such that the friction sheet 26 bulges
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folds in the usual operative positions of the holder 20.
[0025] The hook material 28 is attached to the sleeve 22 adjacent to the
friction sheet 26. The loop material 30 is attached to the flap 24 adjacent to
the
other edge of the friction sheet 26 (as the flap 24 is most handled by the
user, it is
desirable to have the loop material 30 on the flap 24 rather than the hook
material
28 as the loop material 30 is less abrasive than the hook material 28). The
hook
material 28 and loop material 30 may be Velcro TM or any of the other well
known
hoop and loop fasteners.
[0026] As indicated in Figure 1, the holder 22 may be attached to an
umbrella
tube 70 above the umbrella grip 72 (umbrella canopy not shown), so as to hold
a
coffee cup 32 and lid 34, by wrapping the flap 24 around the umbrella tube 70
and
securing the flap 24 to the sleeve 22 with the hook material 28 and loop
material 30.
[0027] The configuration of the friction sheet 26 described above that
provides
for bunching and folding of the friction sheet 26 in use, permits the holder
20 to be
used with a range of umbrella-tube sizes. As indicated in Figure 5, when the
holder
20 is used with a small umbrella tube 74, the resulting folding of the
friction sheet
26: causes the friction sheet 26 to have contact with a greater portion of the
circumference of the small umbrella tube 74 than it would were the folding not
present; and, by effectively doubling the thickness of the friction sheet 26
at the
location of the folding, provides increased localized compressability (i.e.,
"give")
thus enabling the user to pull the flap 24 tighter. As indicated in Figure 6,
when the
holder 20 is used with a large umbrella tube 76, given the greater surface
area
inherently provided by the greater circumference of a large umbrella tube 76
as
compared to a small umbrella tube 74, such folding is generally not necessary
and
the friction sheet 26 generally conforms to the periphery of a large umbrella
tube
76 by small wrinkles or bunching.
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[0028] As indicated in Figure 2, the holder 20 may be used as an
insulating
collar for a beverage container for holding in the user's hand, by merely
folding and
securing the flap 24 so as to overlie the adjacent portion of the sleeve 22.
[0029] It has been found that a holder 20 having a height of about 3 3/4
inches and a sleeve top 40 with a circumference of about 10 inches and a
sleeve
bottom 42 with a circumference of about 8 1/4 inches accommodates conventional
disposable cups in a size range of 14 - 24 fluid ounces and that disposable
cups of
smaller sizes may be accommodated if used with the disposable cardboard
insulation collars with which such cups are often provided. For a holder 20
having
the above dimensions, a flap 24 projecting about 2 1/2 inches from the flap-
sleeve
joint 60, and a friction sheet 26 having a width of about 2 inches, have been
found
to be suitable. The size of the holder 22 as a whole and/or the relative
proportions
of the sleeve 22 and flap 24, may of course be modified to accommodate
different
sized poles and different sized and shaped beverage containers.
[0030] The embodiment described above has been illustrated with reference
to use with an umbrella. The embodiment may be used in a variety of other
situations (e.g., when a permanent bulky cup holder is undesirable but the
user may
wish to hold a beverage container or insulate a beverage container ) and with
other
articles, for example with: wheel chairs, walkers, canes, strollers and or
baby
carriages (e.g. to hold and insulate a baby bottle and, optionally, to hold it
in a
position where it can be directly accessed by an infant), stadium seats,
portable
chairs, tents or other camping equipment, boats etc. The embodiment may be
used
wherever there is a rod, pole or longitudinally extending member of suitable
size,
that is, or can be readily maintained, in a generally vertical orientation.
[0031] The embodiment described above has been illustrated with reference
to disposable coffee cups. In other embodiments, the beverage containing
collar
(e.g., the sleeve 22) may: be cylindrical rather than tapered (e.g., to
accommodate
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water bottles, baby bottles etc.); and/or include features to more securely
hold a
beverage container (e.g., elastic at the bottom and/or middle, a manual cinch
at the
bottom, middle and/or top, etc.).
[0032] As
well, the flap 24 could be releasably secured to the sleeve 22 by
means other than a hook and loop fastener, for example: grommets, snaps, a
clip
and cinch, etc. Further, the holder 20 could include a pouch or pocket for
keys,
money, credit card etc,; and/or a hook or clasp (perhaps on the flap 24) from
which
to hang keys, cell phone, soother (if used by baby or toddler) etc.
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