U.S. patent application number 10/966592 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-27 for system for providing visual information on beverage sleeves.
This patent application is currently assigned to BriteVision Media LLC. Invention is credited to Brian Morrison.
Application Number | 20060086745 10/966592 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36203635 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060086745 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Morrison; Brian |
April 27, 2006 |
System for providing visual information on beverage sleeves
Abstract
A beverage sleeve is configured to provide insulation for a user
of a beverage container holding warm or cold beverages. The
beverage sleeve encircles a beverage container and provides
insulation against heat transferred through the surface of the
container. In some embodiments, the sleeve is coated with a layer
of thermochromatic ink. When heat is absorbed through the surface
of a beverage container, it causes the thermochromatic ink to
change its light response, thus causing an advertisement to be
displayed on the surface of the sleeve. The designs for these
advertisements can be received from a vendor of the product or
service advertised. The sleeves are then shipped to venues in which
beverages are sold for use with said beverages.
Inventors: |
Morrison; Brian; (Miami,
FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FLIESLER MEYER, LLP
FOUR EMBARCADERO CENTER
SUITE 400
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
94111
US
|
Assignee: |
BriteVision Media LLC
San Francisco
CA
|
Family ID: |
36203635 |
Appl. No.: |
10/966592 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/737 ; 53/397;
53/411 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 2200/163 20130101;
A47G 23/0216 20130101; B65D 2203/12 20130101; B65D 81/3876
20130101; B65D 2201/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/737 ;
053/397; 053/411 |
International
Class: |
B65B 15/00 20060101
B65B015/00; B65B 61/02 20060101 B65B061/02; B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00 |
Claims
1. A sleeve for holding a beverage container, the sleeve
comprising: a body having a top edge adapted to form a top opening
and a bottom edge adapted to form a bottom opening, wherein the top
and bottom openings are adapted to accept the beverage container;
an inner surface configured to sit in proximate contact with an
outer surface of the beverage container and to receive heat
transmitted through the outer surface of the beverage container;
and an outer surface comprising a layer of thermochromatic ink, the
layer of thermochromatic ink configured to modify its visual
characteristics in response to the heat transmitted through the
outer surface of the beverage container.
2. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein the layer of thermochromatic ink
modifies its visual characteristics to display an
advertisement.
3. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein the layer of thermochromatic ink
modifies its visual characteristics when heat received through the
outer surface of the beverage container causes it to reach an
activation temperature.
4. The sleeve of claim 3, wherein the activation temperature is
less than approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. The sleeve of claim 3, wherein the activation temperature is
greater than approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. The sleeve of claim 3, wherein the activation temperature is
greater than approximately 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein the layer of thermochromatic ink
has a thickness greater than 0.001 inches.
8. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein a high contrast between colors of
the thermochromatic ink enables the thermochromatic ink to remain
opaque with less thickness than would otherwise be needed.
9. A method for manufacturing a sleeve for holding a beverage
container, the method comprising: providing a flat body, the flat
body comprising a left edge and right edge; printing an
advertisement on the flat body using one or more thermochromatic
inks; refrigerating the flat body so as to enable the one or more
thermochromatic inks to stabilize on the flat body; embossing one
or more indentations on the body so as to enable the body to more
easily provide thermal insulation; and securing the left edge to
the right edge so as to form a sleeve capable of encircling the
beverage container.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more thermochromatic
inks are configured to display the advertisement in response to
heat absorbed through a beverage container.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more thermochromatic
inks are configured to modify their visual characteristics when
heat received through an outer surface of a beverage container
causes the inks to reach an activation temperature.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the activation temperature is
less than approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the activation temperature is
greater than approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the activation temperature is
greater than approximately 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more thermochromatic
inks form a layer of greater thickness than 0.001 inches.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein refrigerating the flat body
comprises refrigerating the body at a temperature of less than 50
degrees Fahrenheit.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the left edge and right edge are
secured together through the use of an adhesive.
18. A method for providing advertising content for a vendor, the
method comprising: accepting from the vendor a request to provide
advertising for a product or service the vendor; preparing sleeves
for encircling a beverage container, the sleeves comprising an
outer layer of thermochromatic ink that, responsive to heat
received from a beverage container, is configured to display an
advertisement for the product or service; and providing the sleeves
to a beverage vendor for use with beverage containers provided by
the beverage vendor to consumers.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the request for advertising
includes a preferred design for the advertisement.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein preparing the sleeves comprises
determining a design for the advertisement.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the beverage vendors comprise
coffee shops.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein the request is received in
concert with an advertising campaign for the product or service.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates generally to methods and
products for providing advertising content on beverage insulating
sleeves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Historically, coffee and other hot beverages have been sold
in restaurants, cafes, diners, and other general food service
venues. These venues usually served the hot beverages in reusable
glass or ceramic containers made of thermally insulative materials.
However, over the past twenty years, specialty beverage shops, such
as Starbucks have insinuated themselves into most American cities.
As these specialty beverage shops also sell cold beverages, the
practice has developed of using general purpose disposable cups and
providing insulating coffee sleeves for hot beverages.
[0003] At the same time, there has been a shift in how products are
advertised. Diminished viewer interest and the advent of digital
video recording technologies that enable viewers to skip
commercials have caused media companies to seek alternative
channels for advertising. Media companies such as Britevision Media
of San Francisco, Calif. have distributed advertising content
printed on coffee sleeves. However, current implementations are
limited in their capacity to present visual content. What is needed
is an improved mechanism for displaying content on beverage
sleeves.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a beverage sleeve in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates an overhead view of a beverage sleeve
attached to a beverage container in accordance with one embodiment
of the present invention.
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a beverage sleeve
attached to a beverage container in accordance with one embodiment
of the present invention.
[0007] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a front view of a beverage sleeve
before and after an activation temperature has been reached in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the interaction between an
ink layer, a sleeve surface, and a beverage.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a process for preparing
a beverage sleeve in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process for providing
advertisements in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] A beverage sleeve is configured to provide insulation for a
user of a beverage container holding warm or cold beverages. The
beverage sleeve encircles a beverage container and provides
insulation against heat transferred through the surface of the
container. In some embodiments, the sleeve is coated with a layer
of thermochromatic ink. When heat is absorbed through the surface
of a beverage container, it causes the thermochromatic ink to
change its light response, thus causing an advertisement to be
displayed on the surface of the sleeve. The designs for these
advertisements can be received from a vendor of the product or
service advertised. The sleeves are then shipped to venues in which
beverages are sold for use with said beverages.
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a beverage sleeve 100 in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The
beverage sleeve includes a flat band 120, that may also be referred
to as a body and can be composed of paper. The flat band 120 can be
an inner or outer surface of the beverage sleeve. The beverage
sleeve 100 includes one or more pleats 122, 123, 124, 125 about
which the beverage sleeve bends. While only four pleats are
illustrated herein, in alternate embodiments, a larger number of
pleats might be used. The sleeve includes a top edge 115 and bottom
edge 118 that can be arc-shaped and concentric. In the present
embodiment, the two edges 115 and 118 are parallel, but in other
embodiments, they may not be. The body 120 includes a central
portion 121, which in some embodiments, can be broken into several
sections, divided by pleats 123, 125.
[0013] The sleeve 100 additionally includes two coupling portions
126 and 128 that can be coupled together to form an encircling
sleeve for holding a cup. In one embodiment, the coupling portions
124 and 126 are secured through an adhesive. The beverage sleeve
100 can be folded flat for easy storage and restored to a closed
shape by applying pressure to the pleats 122, 123, 124, 125.
[0014] While in the present embodiment the above sleeve is used for
illustrative purposes, any other type of sleeve construction can be
used. For example, the sleeve can have multiple layers, corrugated
surfaces, different fastening methods, a different material
composition, and any number of other variations.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates an overhead view of a beverage sleeve
attached to a beverage container 205 in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention. The coupling portions 126, 128
of the band, attach to each other to form the joined beverage
sleeve 100. Each of the pleats 122, 123, 124, 125 is bent at an
angle relative to its neighboring position among the pleats. In
some embodiments, the beverage sleeve 100 includes one or more air
passageways that are configured to divert hot air upwards, so as to
provide better insulation for a user of the sleeve.
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a beverage sleeve 100
attached to a beverage container in accordance with one embodiment
of the present invention. The beverage sleeve 100 is secured in a
closed shape around the beverage container 205. While in the
present embodiment, the beverage container 205 is a tall,
cylindrically shaped container such as might be used in a
coffee-specialty shop such as Starbucks, in other embodiments, any
number of sizes and configurations can be used.
[0017] In the present embodiment the sleeve 100 includes a
graphical advertisements, but in alternate embodiments, text
advertisement can be used as well. The advertisement 310 is
displayed when a layer of thermochromatic ink on the beverage
sleeve 100 is heated to an activation temperature by heat received
through the surface of the beverage container. When the activation
temperature is reached, the absorption/reflection characteristics
of the ink are changed, thus causing the advertisement 310 to be
displayed
[0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a front view of a beverage sleeve
before and after an activation temperature has been reached in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG.
4A, a display section 405A of the sleeve 100 is in a cold or
nondisplay state. When in this state, the thermochromatic ink
assumes an opaque black color. Alternately, the ink can be
transparent in the cold state. In alternate embodiments, the ink
can have two colors, one in its warm state and one in its cold
state. This is the condition of the sleeve during shipping and
storage, before the sleeve is attached to a beverage container.
[0019] In FIG. 4B, the display section of the sleeve is in a "warm"
or display state. In this state the thermochromatic ink has been
brought to an activation temperature, which in the present
embodiment is between 95 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit, but in
alternate embodiments can cover any range of temperatures. When the
thermochromatic inks reaches the activation temperature, the
absorption/reflection profile of the the inks change, causing the
inks to transition to the display colors. In some embodiments, the
inks are encapsulated leuco dyes. When the inks transition to their
display colors, an advertisement 405B becomes visible. While in the
present embodiment, the advertisement is graphical, in alternate
embodiments, text can be used. Also, while the present embodiment,
the process is directed towards the display of advertisements, it
should be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art, that any
other type of graphic or message can be displayed.
[0020] Additionally, while in the present embodiment, the
thermochromatic ink layer has an activation temperature that is
above room temperature, in alternate embodiments, the
thermochromatic ink can transition at cold temperatures. For
example, in one embodiment, the thermochromatic ink can be in its
"nondisplay" state when warm and then transition below the
activation temperature when a cold beverage is accepted, causing it
to enter its "display" state and show an advertisement.
[0021] Furthermore, while in the present embodiment the
advertisement is revealed by the color change, in alternate
embodiments the transition can cause an already-visible
advertisement to change color or to create a motion effect.
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrate a top view of the interaction between an
ink layer, a sleeve surface, and a beverage. Illustrated is a
rotated view of the contact points between a beverage 505, a
surface 510 of the beverage container 205, and a layer of
thermochromatic ink 515. The beverage 505 is a warm beverage such
as coffee or tea that is served in the beverage container 205.
Alternately, the beverage can be a cold beverage such as soda or
juice. When the beverage 505 is placed in the container 205, heat
from the beverage 505 passes through a border 512 to the surface
510 of the beverage container 205. This heat warms the layer of
thermochromatic ink 515 until it reaches its activation
temperature, causing a graphic to appear. For the case of the cold
beverage, heat transitions in the opposite direction, cooling the
ink 515.
[0023] The layer of thermochromatic ink comprises one or more
thermochromatic inks that have been arranged to display graphics or
text when the ink is heated to an activation temperature. The inks
can comprise any substance that can be configured to modify its
light responsiveness when the appropriate activation temperature is
reached. In one embodiment, the ink comprises an encapsulated leuco
dye and is manufactured by Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI) of
Colorado Springs, Colo. Characteristics of some thermochromatic
inks are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,255 and 5,997,849, the
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
[0024] In some embodiments, the layer of ink is thicker than
0.001-0.0015 inches so as to insure opacity. In some embodiments, a
lower contrast between colors of the inks that comprise the layer
515 can make necessary a higher thickness for the layer 515.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a process for preparing
a beverage sleeve in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention. In step 605 the thermochromatic inks are printed onto a
flat body that once completed will form the beverage sleeve. The
inks during this step are in their warm state. In some embodiments,
the inks are printed using a conventional mechanism. In alternate
embodiments, the inks are printed using a printing mechanism
specially configured for thermochromatic inks. In some embodiments,
a "regular" or non thermochromatic ink is first applied to the
sleeve and then thermochromatic ink is applied afterwards. The
"regular" ink can be litho ink or any other type of
non-thermochromatic ink.
[0026] In step 610 the sleeves are cut. This step entails
separating the sleeves from a larger body of paper or other sleeve
material. In step 612, the sleeves are embossed. This step installs
a pattern of bumps or grooves on the surface of the body. In one
embodiment, the embossing is ornamental. In an alternate
embodiment, the embossing is configured to allow for better heat
dispersal, thus allowing sleeves to better insulate against heat
from the beverage container. In one embodiment, the embossing is
performed by a rotary embossing device so as the reduce a potential
for damage to the ink layer.
[0027] In the present embodiment, the sleeves are embossed and cut
consecutively using a rotary embossing die cutter, but in alternate
embodiments, the sleeves can be embossed and cut at different times
and by different devices.
[0028] In step 615 the flat bodies are refrigerated. The
refrigeration periods can vary, but in one embodiment last 3-5
hours. The refrigeration temperatures can also vary, but in one
embodiment are approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The
refrigeration process causes the thermochromatic inks to shift to
their nondisplay state and remain in that state until heated to an
activation temperature.
[0029] In step 620 the sleeves are glued. This step entails
adhering the two connective ends of the body to form a sleeve. The
sleeves can then be stored flat and shipped or distributed. While
in the present embodiment, the embossing, cutting, printing,
refrigerating, and gluing steps are performed in the order
disclosed above, in alternate embodiments, the process can be
performed in a different order.
[0030] FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process for providing
advertisements in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention. In step 705 a sleeve design is accepted from a product
vendor. The sleeve design includes graphics, text, or some
combination thereof that should appear on a sleeve. In one
embodiment, the sleeve design is an advertisement for a product or
service and can be used as part of a larger advertising campaign
for the product or service.
[0031] In step 710 the design for the sleeve is printed on the
sleeves. In step 715 the sleeves are manufactured. Steps 710 and
715 are preferably performed in the manner described with respect
to FIG. 6. The number of sleeves printed and produced can be
determined according to the needs of the product vendor. In step
720 the sleeves are provided to a beverage vendor, where they can
be sold or provided for customers of the beverage. The vendors can
include coffee shops, restaurants, sports venues, supermarkets, or
any other location where beverages are served.
[0032] Other features, aspects and objects of the invention can be
obtained from a review of the figures and the claims. It is to be
understood that other embodiments of the invention can be developed
and fall within the spirit and scope of the invention and
claims.
[0033] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the
present invention has been provided for the purposes of
illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive
or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.
Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to
the practitioner skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen
and described in order to best explain the principles of the
invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others
skilled in the art to understand the invention for various
embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the
particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the
invention be defined by the following claims and their
equivalence.
* * * * *