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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A reusable insulated jacket constructed and arranged for removably
receiving an open cylindrical beverage container therewithin and for
preventing windblown sand and other foreign materials from entering the
opening of the container, said jacket comprising:
(a) an upright main body member of molded thermal-insulating material
having a substantially cylindrical open interior and a closed bottom and a
cylindrical opening at its upper end which will receive an open
cylindrical beverage container therein in close-fitting shape-conforming
thermal-insulating relation;
(b) said body member having an exterior bearing surface;
(c) a separate imperforate molded cover member of thermal-insulating
material extending across said upper end of said main body member and
sealing off said cylindrical opening, said cover member having an
underside;
(d) said cover member having a cooperative bearing surface at said
underside engaging said bearing surface of said body and pivoting
thereagainst while moving between open and closed positions of said cover
member relative to the interior of said main body member, thereby
providing a pivot function for said cover member during such movement; and
(e) resilient tension means extending between said cover member and said
body member and maintaining said bearing surfaces in interengaging
relation and urging said cover member toward said closed position.
2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said cover member is devoid of
permanent attachment to said container.
3. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing surface on said
cover member depends from said underside of said cover member.
4. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing surface of said
cover member is convex.
5. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing surface of said
cover member faces toward said open interior of said body member.
6. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said cover member is only
temporarily attached to said body member.
7. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said cover member is
unattached with respect to said tensioning means.
8. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said cover member has an upper
side, and said tension means extends across said upper side and is
anchored upon said body member.
9. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said tension means is anchored
upon one of said members.
10. A reusable insulated jacket constructed and arranged for removably
receiving an open cylindrical beverage container therewithin and for
preventing windblown sand and other foreign materials from entering the
opening of the container, said jacket comprising:
(a) an upright main body member of molded thermal-insulating material
having a substantially cylindrical open interior and a cylindrical opening
at its upper end which will receive an open cylindrical beverage container
therein in close-fitting, surrounding, shape-conforming,
thermal-insulating relation;
(b) said body member having an exterior bearing surface;
(c) a separate imperforate molded cover member of thermal-insulating
material extending across said upper end of said main body member and
sealing off said cylindrical opening;
(d) said cover member having a cooperative bearing surface engaging said
bearing surface of said body and pivoting thereagainst while moving
between open and closed positions of said cover member relative to the
interior of said main body member and thereby providing a pivot for said
cover member between said open and closed positions; and
(e) resilient tension means extending between said cover member and said
body member and temporarily and impositively engaging said cover member
while maintaining said bearing surfaces in engaging relation and urging
said cover member toward said closed position.
11. The structure defined in claim 10 wherein said cover member has an
upper side and said tension means includes an elastic band extending
across said upper side of said cover member.
12. The structure defined in claim 10 wherein said cover member is
completely detached from said body member except for said resilient
tensioning means.
13. The structure defined in claim 10 wherein said cover member has an
upper side and has at least one transverse channel formed in said upper
side and at least a portion of said tension means extends within said
channel.
14. The structure defined in claim 10, wherein said body member includes
handle structure and said bearing surface of said body member is disposed
upon said handle structure.
15. The structure defined in claim 10 wherein said tension means is
anchored upon said body member in a plane located between said bearing
surface and said open interior of said body member.
16. The structure defined in claim 10 wherein said tension means is
connected to said body member adjacent said bearing surface of said body
member and extends over said cover member in a plane located between said
bearing surface and said open interior of said body member.
17. The structure defined in claim 10, wherein said body member includes
handle structure which carries said bearing surface of said body member
and also carries an abutment surface against which said cover member is
supported when said cover member is moved to a fully open position, said
abutment surface being disposed adjacent to and outwardly of said bearing
surface of said body member.
18. A reusable insulated jacket constructed and arranged for removably
receiving an open cylindrical beverage container therewithin and for
preventing windblown sand and other foreign materials from entering the
opening of the container, said jacket comprising:
(a) an upright main body member of molded thermal-insulating material
having a substantially cylindrical open interior and a closed bottom and a
cylindrical opening at its upper end which will receive an open
cylindrical beverage container therein in close-fitting, surrounding,
shape-conforming, thermal-insulating relation;
(b) said body member having an exterior bearing surface;
(c) a separate imperforate molded cover member of thermal-insulating
material extending across said upper end of said main body member and
sealing off said cylindrical opening;
(d) said cover member having a cooperative bearing surface engaging said
bearing surface of said body and pivoting thereagainst while moving
between open and closed positions of said cover member relative to the
interior of said main body member and thereby providing a pivot function
for said cover member; and
(e) readily releasable resilient tension means anchored upon said main body
member and engaging said cover member exteriorly only, while maintaining
said bearing surfaces in engaging relation and urging said cover member
toward said closed position.
19. The structure defined in claim 18, wherein said cover member only
temporarily engages to said body member.
20. The structure defined in claim 18, wherein said tension means engages
but is otherwise disconnected relative to said cover member.
21. The structure defined in claim 18, wherein said tension means extends
over said cover member but is otherwise disconnected therefrom. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I have found that there is a definite need for an insulating jacket for
open cans of soft drinks, beer, etc; particularly on the beaches, which
will protect the contents of the open can from being contaminated by the
wind blowing sand or other foreign materials into the opening of the can.
Insulating jackets for such cans have been known heretofore, but none
provide a means for precluding the type of contamination described above.
One of the difficulties I have found with providing a sufficiently
inexpensive insulating jacket is that the jacket, when manufactured of
conventional insulating materials, will not adequately support the hinge
structure needed for securing a cover member to a cup-like member. If the
contents of an open beverage can, such as is described above, are to be
adequately protected, some means for covering the opening of the can must
be provided. If that means is to be in form of a cover for the jacket,
hinge means must be provided so that the cover will not become lost and
can be readily and easily opened and securing in closed position. But it
is difficult, if not immpossible, to connect conventional hinge means to a
jacket and cover securely, without substantially weakening the portions of
the jacket and cover to which it is attached. Conventional hinge means
soon break free from the insulated material, with an end result that
replacement costs are prohibitive.
The closest prior art known to me is U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,511 which shows an
insulated jacket for such a can. This patent, however, is not directed
toward solving the above problems. Its primary purpose is to maintain the
contents of the can in refrigerated condition and to permit the user to
drink from the open can without lifting the cover. Thus, the cover member
is perforated, having a goodly-sized opening 11 therein, so as to enable
the user to drink from the can without lifting the cover. Such a
structure, of course, will not preclude the entrance of sand, etc. when
the wind blows, and thus is totally inadequate for the purposes and needs
outlined herein. It will be noted that it advocates the use of an acetate
strip bonded to the cover and cup to function as a hinge member for the
cover. Such strips are found to be inadequate, however, in that they soon
become detached through use and/or the effect of the wind, from one or
both surfaces to which they are adhered. If the jacket were to be made
with a cover which must be lifted each time the user desires to partake of
the contents of the can, the acetate strip will be short-lived and
therefore inadequate.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have found that the above inadequacies may be overcome by properly
designing the jacket in the form of two uniquely shaped elements. I have
eliminated the need for a separate mechanical hinge element which
positively interconnects the cup and cover members, as hereinbefore
suggested, and is impossible to secure without undue and undesirable
weakening of the main body and the cover member.
I have designed the main body or cup member so as to incorporate into its
exterior surface a bearing surface tached facing and complementary bearing
surface designed into the cover member. In this way, if retaining means is
provided for holding such two bearing surfaces in registering relation,
the need for the mechanical hinge is obviated and neither of the two
members are unduly weakened.
I have provided such retaining means through the use of a simple and
inexpensive tension means, namely, an annular rubber band. I provide a
pair of anchor pins on the cup and thereby anchor opposite ends of such a
rubber band upon the main body member, while stretching the same over the
top of the cover member. Proper positioning of the anchor means brings the
rubber band across the top of the cover member in proper position so as to
urge the cover toward closed position at all times until the location of
the stretched bands moves beyond over-dead-center position, after which
the two strands of the band hold the cover in erect open position as it
bears against an abutment designed into the cup member for that purpose.
The above device is simple, very inexpensive to mold, practical, reusable,
highly serviceable, and replaceable at low cost. Most importantly, it
protects the contents of the open can from contamination while effectively
insulating same, despite relatively high winds, etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of one preferred embodiment of the INSULATED JACKET
FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINER is hereafter described with specific reference
being made to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of my insulated jackets, the view from
the opposite side being substantially a mirror image thereof;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken along line 2--2, of FIG.
1; and
FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof, with the open beverage can being shown
in broken lines.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment of my invention, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a
generally cylindrical upright body member 10 made of a molded
thermal-insulating material such as expanded polystyrene in the form of a
thermal-insulating jacket 11 for a beverage container 12, such as an open
can of beer. As shown, the jacket has a closed bottom 13 and an open top,
the latter being defined by a generally cylindrical central opening 14
which extends generally axially of the body member 10 and accomodates the
beverage container, as shown. The opening 14 is of a size only slightly
larger than the conventional beverage can and thus readily receives such a
container in close shape-conforming relation. Opening 14 increases only
slightly from bottom to top to facilate reception and removal of the can
12.
The body member 10 also includes handle structure 15 which adapts the same
for ready use while the contents of the container are being consumed. An
exterior bearing surface 16 is carried by the handle 15 near the top of
the opening 14. Slightly below the bearing surface 16 there is a
transverse bore 17 extending through the handle structure and accomodating
a wooden or plastic anchor pin 18 therein. Anchor pin 18, it will be
noted, is located slightly forwardly and below bearing surface 16. Just
rearwardly of the anchor pin 18 and bearing surface 16, the handle has an
exterior abutment surface 19. The entire body member 10, which includes
the jacket 11 and handle structure 15, is molded integrally of the same
material.
Disposed immediately above the opening 14 and closing off same is an
imperforate molded cover member 20 which is separately molded of the same
material as body member 10 and has a cylindrical recess 21 in its
underside immediately above the opening 14 and of substantially the same
size so as to accommodate the upper portions of the beverage container 12
when it is disposed as shown within the jacket 11. As shown, the cover 20
has an upperside 22 and an underside 23.
Cover member 20, as best shown in FIG. 1, includes a thumb lever element 24
which extends rearwardly therefrom and over handle structure 15. This
lever element is characterized by a convex bearing surface 25 which
depends from the underside of cover member 20 and faces toward opening 14
and bears against and cooperates with bearing surface 16 of the jacket to
provide a pivot for cover member 20, as best shown in FIG. 2. It also has
a pair of spaced parallel, transverse channels or grooves 26, 27 formed in
its upper surface for purposes to be hereinafter described. Channel 26 is
located slightly ahead of anchor pin 18 and channel 27 is slightly
therebehind. An abutting surface 28 extends vertically at the rear end of
the lever element and is disposed just below the area where the user's
thumb engages thumb lever 24.
An elastic band 29 extends around one outwardly extending end of the anchor
pin 18, as best shown in FIG. 1, and is thereby anchored to the handle
structure 15. From the pin 18, this band is extended upwardly and across
the top-side of the cover member 20, the opposite segments of the band
extending within grooves 26 and 27, as shown. The opposite end of the band
is anchored on the side opposite that shown in FIG. 1, by extending around
the opposite outwardly extending end of anchor pin 18. As shown, the band
29 is of such a length that it is necessarily stretched and under tension
when so disposed. As a consequence it constantly urges cover member 20
toward closed position.
It will be seen by reference to FIG. 2 that convex bearing surface 25 of
cover member 20 bears against concave bearing surface 16 of the jacket to
provide a pivot for the cover member as it moves between open and closed
positions. The band 29 maintains these two bearing surfaces 16, 25 in
engaging relation at all times. Since groove 26 is located ahead of pin
18, cover member 20 is urged toward closed position at all times except
when it is moved to an open over-dead-center position, such as shown in
broken lines in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, when cover member 20 is moved to open position by the
user applying downward pressure upon lever member 24, elastic band 29
holds cover member in that position. Concave abutting surface 28 of cover
member 20 engages convex abutment surface 19 when the cover member is
moved to that position, as is shown. As shown abutting surface 28 and
abutment surface 19 complement each other, since they have the same
radius. Cover member 20 will be maintained in that erect open position by
elastic band 29 until such time as it is swung forwardly past
over-dead-center position, at which time elastic band 29 will cause cover
member 20 to snap shut into closed position as shown in FIG. 1 and 2.
While in such closed position, cover member 20 will positively preclude
any wind-blown sand or other foreign materials from being blown into the
opening 30 of can 12, thereby enabling the user to enjoy the beverage
contents of the can over an extended period of time without contamination
of the beverage.
A big advantage of my insulated jacket 10 is that it can be manufactured,
and consequently sold, so inexpensively, while at the same time
effectively protecting the contents of an open can of beverage from
wind-blown sand, etc. As a consequence of using a rubber band and bearing
surfaces 16 and 25, as shown and described, it is possible to obviate the
need for positively affixing a mechanical hinge member to each of the
cover 20 and cup-like member 11. Since such hinge members readily tear
loose from foamed insulating material such as expanded polystrene one of
my insulated jackets will far outlast any similar insulating jacket having
such a positively affixed hinge. Moreover, the latter is much more
expensive to manufacture. Also, either the cover member 20 or the cup-like
member 11 of my design can be readily and inexpensively replaced by the
user in the event of inadvertent physical damage thereto.
It will be readily seen that assembly costs of my above insulating jacket
are at an absolute minimum. The cover is merely positioned in closing
position, pin 18 is inserted, and a simple rubber band 29 is applied as
shown. Thus a minimum of time, labor, and expense is involved,
particularly in view of the fact that every element is very inexpensive.
In considering this invention, it should be remembered that the present
disclosure is illustrative only and the scope of the invention should be
determined by the appended claims.
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Description |
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