U.S. patent application number 16/224956 was filed with the patent office on 2019-07-25 for container with grip.
The applicant listed for this patent is POPSOCKETS LLC. Invention is credited to David B. Barnett.
Application Number | 20190225378 16/224956 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65024028 |
Filed Date | 2019-07-25 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190225378 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barnett; David B. |
July 25, 2019 |
CONTAINER WITH GRIP
Abstract
A container assembly for holding a beverage includes a walled
container having an interior surface and an exterior surface. An
expandable grip accessory is operatively coupled to the walled
container and includes a grip accessory body movable between an
extended configuration and a collapsed configuration. The grip
accessory body includes a first end and a second end. A hub is
operatively coupled to the walled container and includes an opening
sized to receive at least a portion of the second end of the grip
accessory body. The first end of the grip accessory body is spaced
away from the exterior surface of the walled container when the
grip accessory body is in the extended configuration.
Inventors: |
Barnett; David B.; (Boulder,
CO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
POPSOCKETS LLC |
Boulder |
CO |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
65024028 |
Appl. No.: |
16/224956 |
Filed: |
December 19, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62621943 |
Jan 25, 2018 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/2261 20130101;
A45F 3/16 20130101; A45F 5/10 20130101; B65D 23/10 20130101; B65D
25/2885 20130101; A45F 3/18 20130101; F16M 13/04 20130101; B65D
23/104 20130101; A47G 23/0216 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/28 20060101
B65D025/28; B65D 23/10 20060101 B65D023/10 |
Claims
1. A container assembly for holding a beverage, the assembly
comprising: a walled container including an interior surface and an
exterior surface, the interior surface at least partially defining
a reservoir for holding (a) a liquid or (b) a container for holding
a liquid; an expandable socket operatively coupled to the walled
container, the expandable socket including a socket body movable
between an extended configuration and a collapsed configuration,
the socket body including a first end and a second end; and wherein
the first end of the socket body is spaced away from the exterior
surface of the walled container when the socket body is in the
extended configuration.
2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hub operatively
coupled to the walled container, the hub including an opening sized
to receive at least a portion of the second end of the socket body,
wherein the second end of the socket body is removably coupled to
the hub.
3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the hub includes a first
surface and a second surface, the first surface defining the
opening and the second surface deformable to fit against the
exterior surface of the walled container.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the second surface is curved to
conform to the exterior surface of the walled container.
5. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the hub is removably attached
to the exterior surface of the walled container.
6. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an indentation
formed in the exterior surface of the walled container, the
indentation sized to receive at least a portion of the expandable
socket.
7. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the hub is at least partially
embedded within the walled container such that a portion of the hub
is disposed between the interior surface and the exterior surface
of the walled container.
8. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the hub is integrally formed
with the exterior surface of the walled container.
9. The assembly of claim 2, further comprising a sleeve operatively
connected to the hub, the sleeve including an outer surface, an
inner surface, and a cavity at least partially defined by the inner
surface, the cavity sized to receive at least a portion of the
walled container.
10. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising an aperture
extending through the outer surface and inner surface of the
sleeve, the aperture sized to receive at least a portion of the
socket body.
11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the hub is disposed between
the exterior surface of the walled container and the inner surface
of the sleeve.
12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the aperture of the sleeve
defines a stepped profile to receive the socket body when the
expandable socket is in the collapsed configuration.
13. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the hub is integrally formed
with the outer surface of the sleeve.
14. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the hub couples to the second
end of the socket body by snap fit connection.
15. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the walled container is a
cylindrical sleeve.
16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the socket body extends
through an aperture formed in the sleeve and the hub includes a
first surface forming the opening and a second surface, a portion
of the first surface adjacent to the interior surface of the
sleeve.
17. A sleeve for holding a beverage container, the sleeve
comprising: a body having a cavity, a longitudinal axis, a first
surface, and a second surface, the first surface at least partially
defining the cavity; an expandable socket operatively coupled to
the body, the expandable socket including a socket body movable
between an extended configuration and a collapsed configuration;
wherein the socket body is expandable in a direction substantially
perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.
18. The sleeve of claim 17, further comprising a hub operatively
coupled to the socket body and the socket body including a second
end, the hub including an opening sized to receive at least a
portion of the second end of the socket body.
19. The sleeve of claim 18, wherein the hub includes a first
surface and a second surface, the first surface defining the
opening and the second surface having a radius of curvature sized
substantially similar to a radius of curvature of the first surface
of the body.
20. The sleeve of claim 18, wherein the hub is at least partially
embedded within the body such that a portion of the hub is disposed
between the first surface and the second surface of the body.
21. The sleeve of claim 19, wherein the hub is removably attached
to the body.
22. The sleeve of claim 18, wherein the hub is integrally formed
with the body.
23. The sleeve of claim 18, wherein the body includes an aperture
formed through the first surface and the second surface of the
body, the hub disposed within the cavity and extends at least
partially through the aperture.
24. The sleeve of claim 18, wherein the hub couples to the
expandable socket by snap fit connection.
25. The sleeve of claim 17, wherein the body includes an
indentation formed in the second surface and sized to receive at
least a portion of the socket body.
26. The sleeve of claim 17, wherein the body includes a first half,
a second half, and a hinge pivotably connecting the first half and
the second half.
27. The sleeve of claim 17, wherein the body is cylindrical.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Priority is claimed to U.S. Provisional Application No.
62/621,943, filed Jan. 25, 2018, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to containers for
holding a beverage or for holding a container holding a beverage
and, more particularly, to a container assembly or container sleeve
incorporating an expandable grip accessory.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Expandable grip accessorys may be attached directly to a
portable electronic device or to a case protecting the device. They
are used for a variety of functions, including propping the device
on a surface and providing an expandable grip for handling the
device. The expandable grip accessorys have decorative buttons,
which may display logos, decals, symbols, or other artistic
renderings.
SUMMARY
[0004] In accordance with a first exemplary aspect, a container
assembly for holding a beverage may include a walled container
having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior
surface may at least partially define a reservoir for holding a
liquid or a container for holding a liquid. An expandable grip
accessory may be operatively coupled to the walled container. The
expandable grip accessory may include a grip accessory body movable
between an extended configuration and a collapsed configuration.
The grip accessory body may include a first end and a second end. A
hub may be operatively coupled to the walled container. The hub may
include an opening sized to receive at least a portion of the
second end of the grip accessory body. The first end of the grip
accessory body may be spaced away from the exterior surface of the
walled container when the grip accessory body is in the extended
configuration.
[0005] In accordance with a second exemplary aspect, a sleeve for
holding a beverage container may include a body having a cavity, a
longitudinal axis, a first surface, and a second surface. The first
surface may at least partially define the cavity. An expandable
grip accessory may be operatively coupled to the body. The
expandable grip accessory may include a grip accessory body movable
between an extended configuration and a collapsed configuration.
The grip accessory body may be expandable in a direction
substantially perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of
the body.
[0006] In further accordance with any one or more of the first and
second exemplary aspects, the container assembly and/or sleeve may
include any one or more of the following forms.
[0007] In a preferred form, the second end of the grip accessory
body may be removably coupled to the hub.
[0008] In a preferred form, the hub may include a first surface and
a second surface. The first surface may define the opening and the
second surface may be deformable to fit against the exterior
surface of the walled container.
[0009] In a preferred form, the second surface may be curved to
conform to the exterior surface of the walled container.
[0010] In a preferred form, the hub may be removably attached to
the exterior surface of the walled container.
[0011] In a preferred form, an indentation may be formed in the
exterior surface of the walled container, the indentation sized to
receive at least a portion of the expandable grip accessory.
[0012] In a preferred form, the hub may be at least partially
embedded within the walled container such that a portion of the hub
is disposed between the interior surface and the exterior surface
of the walled container.
[0013] In a preferred form, the hub may be integrally formed with
the exterior surface of the walled container.
[0014] In a preferred form, a sleeve may be connected to the hub.
The sleeve may include an outer surface, an inner surface, and a
cavity at least partially defined by the inner surface. The cavity
may be sized to receive at least a portion of the walled
container.
[0015] In a preferred form, an aperture may extend through the
outer surface and inner surface of the sleeve. The aperture may be
sized to receive at least a portion of the grip accessory body.
[0016] In a preferred form, the hub may be disposed between the
exterior surface of the walled container and the inner surface of
the sleeve.
[0017] In a preferred form, the aperture of the sleeve may define a
stepped profile to receive the grip accessory body when the
expandable grip accessory is in the collapsed configuration.
[0018] In a preferred form, hub may be integrally formed with the
outer surface of the sleeve.
[0019] In a preferred form, the hub may couple to the second end of
the grip accessory body by snap fit connection.
[0020] In a preferred form, the walled container may be a sleeve
and may be connected to the hub. The sleeve may include a cavity at
least partially defined by the interior surface. The cavity may be
sized to receive a container for holding a beverage.
[0021] In a preferred form, the grip accessory body may extend
through an aperture formed in the walled container and the hub may
include a first surface forming the opening and a second surface. A
portion of the first surface may be adjacent to the interior
surface of the walled container.
[0022] In a preferred form, a hub may be operatively coupled to the
grip accessory body and the grip accessory body may include a
second end. The hub may include an opening sized to receive at
least a portion of the second end of the grip accessory body.
[0023] In a preferred form, the hub may include a first surface and
a second surface. The first surface may define the opening and the
second surface may have a radius of curvature sized substantially
similar to a radius of curvature of the first surface of the
body.
[0024] In a preferred form, the hub may be at least partially
embedded within the body such that a portion of the hub is disposed
between the first surface and the second surface of the body.
[0025] In a preferred form, the hub may be removably attached to
the body.
[0026] In a preferred form, the hub may be integrally formed with
the body.
[0027] In a preferred form, the body may include an aperture formed
through the first surface and the second surface of the body. The
hub may be disposed within the cavity and may extend at least
partially through the aperture.
[0028] In a preferred form, the body may include an indentation
formed in the second surface and sized to receive at least a
portion of the grip accessory body.
[0029] In a preferred form, the body may include a first half, a
second half, and a hinge pivotably connecting the first half and
the second half.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] The features of this invention which are believed to be
novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The
invention may be best understood by reference to the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference numerals identify like elements in the several
Figures, in which:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first exemplary container
assembly having a first exemplary expandable grip accessory
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present
disclosure, the expandable grip accessory in a collapsed
configuration;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a side view of the container assembly of FIG. 1,
the expandable grip accessory in an extended configuration;
[0033] FIG. 3 is a side view of a first exemplary container
assembly including a sleeve constructed in accordance with the
teachings of the present disclosure, the container assembly
including the first exemplary expandable grip accessory of FIG. 1
in the collapsed configuration;
[0034] FIG. 4 is a side view of the sleeve of FIG. 3, the
expandable grip accessory in an extended configuration;
[0035] FIG. 5 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a hub and
the expandable grip accessory of FIGS. 1-4 in the collapsed
configuration;
[0036] FIG. 6 is a front view of a second exemplary container
assembly including a sleeve with a second exemplary expandable grip
accessory constructed in accordance with the teachings of the
present disclosure;
[0037] FIG. 7 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the
container assembly of FIG. 6, the expandable grip accessory in a
collapsed configuration;
[0038] FIG. 8 is a front view of a third exemplary container
assembly including a third exemplary expandable grip accessory
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present
disclosure;
[0039] FIG. 9 is a side view of the container assembly of FIG. 8,
the expandable grip accessory in a collapsed configuration;
[0040] FIG. 10 is a side view of the container assembly of FIG. 8,
the expandable grip accessory in an expanded configuration;
[0041] FIG. 11 is a front view of a third container assembly
including a sleeve constructed in accordance with the teachings of
the present disclosure, the sleeve including the third exemplary
expandable grip accessory of FIG. 8;
[0042] FIG. 12 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the
container assembly of FIG. 8;
[0043] FIG. 13 is a partial top cross-sectional view of the
container of FIG. 8;
[0044] FIG. 14 is a partial top cross-sectional view of a container
or a sleeve of a fourth exemplary container assembly constructed in
accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure;
[0045] FIG. 15 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a
container or a sleeve of a fifth exemplary container assembly and a
fourth exemplary expandable grip accessory constructed in
accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the
expandable grip accessory in an extended configuration;
[0046] FIG. 16 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a
container or a sleeve of a sixth exemplary container assembly and
the third exemplary expandable grip accessory of FIG. 8 constructed
in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the
expandable grip accessory in a collapsed configuration;
[0047] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a seventh container
assembly including a sleeve holding the first exemplary container
assembly of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with the teachings of
the present disclosure, the expandable grip accessory in an
extended configuration;
[0048] FIG. 18 is an eighth exemplary container assembly including
a sleeve and the third exemplary expandable grip accessory of FIG.
8 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present
disclosure, the expandable grip accessory in a collapsed
configuration;
[0049] FIG. 19 is a ninth exemplary container assembly including a
sleeve and a fifth exemplary expandable grip accessory constructed
in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the
sleeve holding a portion of a stemmed container and the expandable
grip accessory in an extended configuration; and
[0050] FIG. 20 is a side view of a tenth exemplary container
assembly including a pocket for holding a portable media player and
an expandable grip accessory constructed in accordance with the
teachings of the present disclosure, the expandable grip accessory
in a collapsed configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0051] A container assembly for holding a beverage constructed in
accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure may provide
an expandable and collapsible grip that may be incorporated into a
container wall or a sleeve of a container. The grip may be stored
in a collapsed configuration when not in use, and may sit flush
against the wall of the container or sleeve or it may extend away
from the container or sleeve to provide a knob for storing earbuds.
In some instances, the grip of the current disclosure may include,
at least in part, an extending grip accessory as disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 8,560,031 and U.S. Publication No. 2018/0288204, the
entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In some examples, the grip, hereinafter referred as an expandable
grip accessory, of the container assembly may be adapted to
removably couple from the container or sleeve and attach to a
portable media player or other device.
[0052] In FIGS. 1 and 2, a first exemplary container assembly 10
for holding a beverage is constructed in accordance with the
teachings of the present disclosure. A walled container 12, which
in the illustrated example is a bottle, includes an interior
surface 14 and an exterior surface 16, where the interior surface
at least partially defines a reservoir 18 for holding a liquid or
other substance. An expandable grip accessory 20 is operatively
coupled to the walled container 12 and is expandable between a
collapsed configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, and an extended
configuration, as shown in FIG. 2. The expandable grip accessory 20
includes a grip accessory body 22 having a flexible wall that folds
on itself when in the collapsed configuration, and expands to a
tapered conical shape when fully extended. The expandable grip
accessory 20 may include extending grip accessory as disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 8,560,031. In the collapsed configuration, the grip
accessory body 22 is folded so that the expandable grip accessory
20 has a reduced volume. The grip accessory body 22 can take the
form of an accordion-shaped cover structure made of a deformable
and durable material. The accordion-shaped cover structure includes
a folding portion that includes a plurality of relatively rigid
walls interspersed with flexural (or "living") hinges. A plurality
of vents are formed through the folding portion of the grip
accessory 22 body to facilitate collapsing and expanding of the
body 22 between the collapsed configuration and the expanded
configuration, and a plurality of intermediary configurations
between the collapsed and expanded configurations. The grip
accessory body 22 includes a first end 24 coupled to a removable
button 28 and a second end 26 coupled to the walled container 12.
The folding portion is disposed between the first end 24 and the
second end 26 of the grip accessory body 22, and is symmetrical
about a longitudinal axis of the grip accessory body. As shown in
FIG. 2, the first end 24 of the grip accessory body 22 is spaced
away from the exterior surface 16 of the walled container 12 when
the grip accessory body 22 is fully extended. In the illustrated
example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the walled container 12 is a bottle, such
as a water bottle, but may be any walled container, such as, for
example, a travel mug, a tumbler, a drink sleeve, a koozie, or
other reusable vessel. In yet other examples, the walled container
may be a disposable bottle or can.
[0053] In FIGS. 3 and 4, a first exemplary container assembly 30
with a different walled container 32 is constructed according the
teachings of the present disclosure. The walled container 32 is a
sleeve and includes an interior surface 34 and an exterior surface
36 where the interior surface 34 at least partially defines a
cavity 38 for holding a container which holds a liquid or other
substance. The sleeve 32 may be a fabric, foam, silicone, or
plastic wrapped container that is sized to receive a bottle, can,
coffee cup, or other beverage container. In the illustrated
example, the sleeve 32 has a cylindrical body and is symmetrical
about a longitudinal axis A. An expandable grip accessory 20, which
may be the same or different than the expandable grip accessory 20
of FIGS. 1 and 2, is operatively coupled to the walled container 32
and is expandable in a direction B, which is substantially
perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis A. When the
expandable grip accessory 20 is in the collapsed configuration, the
expandable grip accessory 20 protrudes from the exterior surface 36
of the walled container 32, and provides adequate space between the
exterior surface 36 of the sleeve 32 and the button 28 to permit a
user to grip the expandable grip accessory 20 or to wrap earbud
wires around the grip accessory body 22 for storage. While the
illustrated walled containers 12, 32 of FIGS. 1-4 are cylindrical,
other examples of walled containers may be rectangular to hold a
juice box, a square carton or bottle, or other shapes to hold
irregular or non-cylindrical containers. The walled containers 12,
32 may include grooves formed in the exterior surfaces 16, 36 for
additional finger grips or to display brand designs.
[0054] As used herein, "walled container" may refer to any
container such as, for example, a sleeve, bottle, or body depending
on the particular example being described. For instance, the walled
container 12 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is in the form of a bottle, but may
be a different type of container. The walled container 32 of FIGS.
3 and 4 is in the form of a sleeve, which may be configured to hold
a beverage or hold a container, like a bottle. In some examples, a
first walled container may be coupled to a second walled container
(e.g. FIGS. 17, 19).
[0055] In the first exemplary arrangement of the container assembly
10, the expandable grip accessory 20 may be operatively coupled to
the outer surface 16 of the walled container 12 by a hub 40. In
other versions, the grip accessory 20 may be coupled directly to
the container 12 without a hub 40. FIG. 5 illustrates a
cross-section of the container assembly 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2.
However, the cross-section of FIG. 5 may be substantially identical
to a cross-section of the container assembly 30 of FIGS. 3 and 4.
In the depicted version, the hub 40 is operatively coupled to the
walled container 12 and includes an opening 42 sized to receive at
least a portion of the second end 26 of the grip accessory body 22.
The hub 40 includes a first surface 44 that defines the opening 42
of the hub 40 and a second surface 46 that is adapted to sit flush
against (i.e., conform to) the exterior surface 16 of the walled
container 12. The second surface 46 of the hub 40 can be deformable
to fit against the exterior surface 16 of the walled container 12
such that the hub 40 may be operatively coupled (e.g. attached,
fixed, etc.) to the walled container 12 in any orientation and also
to walled containers of differing contours. As shown in FIG. 5, the
second surface 46 is curved to conform to an outer circumference of
the walled container 12 and may have a radius of curvature
substantially similar to a radius of curvature of the exterior
surface 16 of the walled container 12. The second surface 46 of the
hub 40 may adhere to the exterior surface 16, 36 of either walled
container 12, 32 by friction, suction, adhesive permanently, or
temporarily (i.e. removably attached) through the application of
reusable adhesives or similar materials suitable for the intended
purpose. For example, the second surface 46 of the hub 40 may be
made of suction cup tape to securely attach to many different types
of containers. In other examples, the expandable grip accessory 20
may be operatively coupled to the walled container 12 directly,
indirectly, via a hub, a sleeve, or other suitable mechanisms.
[0056] The hub 40 is also removably coupled to the expandable grip
accessory 20 so that the expandable grip accessory 20 may be
replaced without removing the hub 40 from the walled container 12.
In the illustrated example, the opening 42 of the hub 40 is sized
to slidably receive the second end 26 of the expandable grip
accessory 20. The opening 42 is formed in a collar 48, which
extends away from the first surface 44 of the hub. The opening 42
is adapted to slidably receive and connect with the second end 26
of the grip accessory body 22. In another example, the opening 42
may shaped to receive a male snap-fit connector such that the
collar 48 may slightly deform to receive the grip accessory body 22
in snap-fit connection. In some instances, the hub 40 and grip
accessory body 22 of the present disclosure may include a coupling
mechanism as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 15/864,509,
filed Jan. 8, 2018, and U.S. application Ser. No. 15/864,402, filed
Jan. 8, 2018, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated
herein by reference. The hub 40 and expandable grip accessory 20
are configured to attach to any container 12 and may be removed
from the walled container 12 before the walled container 12 is
recycled or trashed.
[0057] In FIGS. 6 and 7, a second exemplary container assembly 130
is assembled in accordance with the teachings of the present
disclosure. A sleeve 132 of the container assembly 130 is similar
to the sleeve 32 of the first exemplary container assembly 30 of
FIGS. 3 and 4 described above, except that a second exemplary
expandable grip accessory 120 of the second exemplary container
assembly 130 is at least partially embedded with the walled
container 132 (i.e. the sleeve). Elements of the container assembly
130 in FIGS. 6 and 7 which are similar to the elements of the
container assembly 30 of FIGS. 3 and 4 are designated by the same
reference numeral, incremented by 100. A description of many of
these elements is abbreviated or even eliminated in the interest of
brevity. Further, the second exemplary expandable grip accessory
120 is similar to the first exemplary expandable grip accessory 20
of FIGS. 1-5, except that the second exemplary expandable grip
accessory 120 couples to the walled container 132 differently.
Thus, elements of second exemplary expandable grip accessory 120
which are similar to the elements of the first exemplary expandable
grip accessory 20 of FIG. 1-5 are designated by the same reference
numeral, incremented by 100, as well.
[0058] In the second exemplary arrangement of FIGS. 6 and 7, the
container assembly 130 includes the expandable grip accessory 120
operatively coupled to the walled container 132. As illustrated in
FIG. 7, the expandable grip accessory 120 is at least partially
embedded in the walled container 132 of the container assembly 130.
The walled container 132 includes an aperture 150 extending through
an exterior surface 136 and an interior surface 134 of the sleeve
132 and is sized to receive a portion of a grip accessory body 122
of the expandable grip accessory 120. The aperture 150 includes a
stepped profile 152 such that the grip accessory body 122 fits
within a recessed portion 154 of the walled container 132 while a
button 128 of the expandable grip accessory 120 is disposed
adjacent to the exterior surface 136. The stepped profile 152
formed in the walled container 132 is specifically constructed to
receive the grip accessory body 122 when the grip accessory body
122 is folded in the collapsed configuration. In this way, the
expandable grip accessory 120 is substantially flush with the
walled container 132 of the container assembly 130, and may not
increase the overall thickness of the walled container 132. In this
example, the arrangement of the expandable grip accessory 120
relative to the walled container 132 reduces the chance of catching
the button 128 or grip accessory body 122 when slipping the
container assembly 130 into a backpack or bag.
[0059] The stepped profile 152 of the walled container 132 permits
the expandable grip accessory 120 to nest within the recessed
portion 154 for storing the expandable grip accessory 120. The
stepped profile 152 is defined in part by a neck 156, a shoulder
158, a vertical portion 160, and the recessed portion 154 radially
disposed inward relative to the exterior surface 136 of the walled
container 132. The shoulder 158 supports the expandable grip
accessory 120 in the collapsed configuration, and is partially
defined by the recessed portion 154 of the aperture 150. The neck
156 is sized to snugly fit against a collar 148 of a hub 140,
holding the hub 140 in place when the hub 140 is operatively
coupled to the walled container 132. The collar 148 extends through
the aperture 150 and into the recessed portion 154 to couple a
second end 126 of the grip accessory body 122 to an opening 142 of
the hub 140. The vertical portion 160 of the sleeve 132 extends
from the shoulder 158 and encircles a first end 124 of the grip
accessory body 122 in the collapsed configuration. The button 128
of the expandable grip accessory 120 extends slightly beyond the
exterior surface 136 of the walled container 132 and outside of the
recessed portion 154 when the expandable grip accessory 120 is in
the collapsed configuration. As shown in the illustrated example, a
bottom surface 162 of the button 128 rests against the exterior
surface 136 of the walled container 132.
[0060] In this particular example, the hub 140 of the second
exemplary container assembly 130 is suited for a sleeved container
132. Similar to the hub 40 of the first exemplary assembly 10, the
hub 140 is operatively coupled to the grip accessory body 122 and
includes the collar 148 defining the opening 142 to receive the
second end 126 of the grip accessory body 122. Unlike the previous
example, the collar 148 of the hub 140 extends at least partially
through the aperture 150 of the sleeve 132. A first surface 144 of
the hub 140 is curved to sit flush against the interior surface 134
of the sleeve 132 and a second surface 146 is curved to sit flush
against an exterior surface of a beverage container. The second
surface 146 of the hub 140 may be deformable so that the hub 140 is
adapted to conform to an exterior surface of any beverage
container, or the second surface 146 may be molded to fit against
an exterior surface of a particular beverage container. For
example, the second surface 146 of the hub 140 has a radius of
curvature R1 sized substantially similar to a radius of curvature
R2 of the interior surface 134 of the walled container 132. Thus,
the second surface 146 of the hub 140 may adequately form around
the exterior surface of any container that is disposed within a
cavity 138 of the sleeve 136.
[0061] Generally, a user of the container assembly 130 of FIGS. 6
and 7 may assemble the container assembly 130 by operatively
coupling the hub 140 to the expandable grip accessory 120 by
inserting the hub 140 through the aperture 150 from an interior
side 164 of the sleeve 132 and snapping the collar 148 between the
neck 156 of the sleeve 132. The user may simultaneously insert the
second end 126 of the grip accessory body 122 into the recessed
portion 154 of the aperture 150 from an exterior side 166 of the
sleeve 132. The user may then slide, rotate, or snap the second end
126 of the grip accessory body 122 into the opening 142 of the hub
140. In another example, the user may first couple the hub 140 and
expandable grip accessory 120 together before pushing either the
expandable grip accessory 120 or hub 140 through the aperture 150,
either by rotating, twisting, or angling the expandable grip
accessory 120 and hub 140 relative to the aperture 150. The sleeve
132 may be made of a pliable material to permit the hub 140 or the
expandable grip accessory 120 to fit through the aperture 150
without permanently deforming the sleeve 132. After the container
assembly 130 is in place, the user may dispose a beverage
container, such as a can or a bottle, within the cavity 138 defined
by the sleeve 132.
[0062] In some examples, a hub of a container assembly may be
embedded or partially embedded with a walled container. A male or
female connecting member may protrude slightly from an exterior
surface of the walled container to removably couple to an
expandable grip accessory. In the following examples, a hub may be
integrally formed with a walled container so that an expandable
grip accessory attaches directly to the walled container.
[0063] Turning to FIGS. 8-10 and FIG. 11, a third exemplary
container assembly 210, 230 including a bottle 212 and a sleeve
232, respectively, are constructed in accordance with the teachings
of the present disclosure. In FIG. 8, the third exemplary container
assembly 210 is similar to the first exemplary container assembly
10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 described above, except that a third exemplary
expandable grip accessory 220 is at least partially embedded within
the walled container 212. Elements of the container assembly 210 in
FIG. 8 which are similar to the elements of the container assembly
10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numeral,
incremented by 200. A description of many of these elements is
abbreviated or even eliminated in the interest of brevity.
Likewise, the third exemplary expandable grip accessory 220 is
similar to the first exemplary expandable grip accessory of FIGS.
1-5, except that the expandable grip accessory 220 couples to the
walled container 212 differently. Thus, elements of third exemplary
expandable grip accessory 220 of FIG. 8 which are similar to the
elements of the first exemplary expandable grip accessory 20 are
designated by the same reference numeral, incremented by 200.
Further, elements of the third exemplary container assembly 230
with the sleeve 232 of FIG. 11 which are similar to the elements of
the second exemplary container assembly 130 are designated by the
same reference numeral, incremented by 100.
[0064] The third container assembly 210 is constructed so that the
expandable grip accessory 220 is flush with an exterior surface 216
of the walled container 212. As shown in FIG. 8, an indent 270
surrounds an outer circumference 272 of a button 228 of the
expandable grip accessory 220. The indent 270 provides a recessed
area such that a user may grip the expandable grip accessory 220
and pull the expandable grip accessory 200 from a collapsed
configuration, as shown in FIG. 9, to the extended configuration,
as shown in FIG. 10. As best shown in FIG. 10, the indent 270
formed in the exterior surface 216 of the walled container 212 has
a concave shape. However, in other examples, the indent 270 may be
a different shape arranged so that the expandable grip accessory
220 can sit flush with the walled container 212 and provide room
for a user to grip the button 228 and move the expandable grip
accessory 220. A second end 226 of a grip accessory body 222 is
operatively coupled to the walled container 212, and is
specifically coupled to a hub 240, as shown in FIG. 12. The second
end 226 of the grip accessory body 222 may rotatably couple,
slidably couple, or connect by a different suitable mechanism to
the hub 240.
[0065] The cross-sectional view of the container assembly of FIG.
12 depicts the expandable grip accessory 220 in the collapsed
configuration and operatively coupled to the walled container 212.
However, any one of the container assemblies of FIGS. 12-16 may
include a sleeve or other walled container, such as the sleeve 232
of the container assemblies 230 of FIG. 11. For simplicity, the
cross-section is a side view of the third exemplary container
assembly 210 of FIGS. 8-10. The indent 270 is recessed below the
exterior surface 216 of the walled container 212 and is deep enough
to hold the collapsed grip accessory body 222 of the expandable
grip accessory 220 without substantially increasing the thickness
of the walled container 212. As shown in FIG. 13, the hub 240 is
integrally formed with the walled container 212 and a collar 248 of
the hub 240 extends away from a surface 274 of the indent 270. The
side opening 242 formed in the collar 248 is sized to slidably
receive the second end 226 of the grip accessory body 222. The
indent 270 provides a space 276 surrounding the hub 240 so that a
user may easily slide the second end 226 of the grip accessory body
222 into the opening 242 of the hub 240. When the expandable grip
accessory 220 is coupled to the hub 240, the space 276 surrounding
the indent 270 also surrounds the expandable grip accessory 220 and
facilitates moving the expandable grip accessory 220 between the
collapsed and extended configuration. The button 228 of the
expandable grip accessory 220 extends slightly beyond the exterior
surface 216 of the walled container 212, but does not rest against
the exterior surface 216. In a fourth exemplary container assembly
300 shown in FIG. 14, an integrated hub 340 is not surrounded by an
indent. Rather, a collar 348 of the hub 340 extends outwardly from
an exterior surface 316 of a walled container 312.
[0066] The cross-sectional view of the container assembly of FIG.
12 depicts the expandable grip accessory 220 operatively coupled to
the walled container 212. However, any one of the previously
described container assemblies 210 and 300 of FIGS. 12-14 and
following container assemblies of FIGS. 15 and 16 may include a
sleeve, such as the sleeve 232 of FIG. 11 or other walled
container.
[0067] In FIG. 15, a hub 440 of a fifth exemplary container
assembly 440 is completely embedded within a walled container 412,
and a fourth exemplary expandable grip accessory 320 is operatively
coupled to the walled container 412 by removable connection with
the hub 440. In this example, the hub 440 is disposed below an
exterior surface 416 of the walled container 412 and does not
provide a collar extending outwardly to receive a grip accessory
body. The hub 440 instead includes a female key 442 that receives a
male snap-fit connector 380 disposed at a second end 326 of a grip
accessory body 322. The female key 442 facilitates aligning and
mating the expandable grip accessory 320 with the walled container
412. The opening 442 of the female key 442 is disposed below the
exterior surface 416 and above an interior surface 414 of the
walled container 412. In another example, the grip accessory body
322 may operatively connect to the walled container 412 by
rotatably connecting the grip accessory body 322 to the hub 440. In
either example, the grip accessory body 322 lays against the
exterior surface 416 of the walled container 412 when the
expandable grip accessory 320 is in the collapsed
configuration.
[0068] In FIG. 16, a sixth exemplary container assembly 500 is
assembled in accordance with the teachings of the present
disclosure, and includes the third exemplary expandable grip
accessory 220. A hub 540 is at least partially embedded within a
walled container 512 such that a portion of the hub 540 is disposed
between an interior surface 514 and an exterior surface 516 of the
walled container 512. The hub 540 may be integrally formed with the
walled container 512 and disposed within a recessed area 554 formed
in the exterior surface 516. In another example, the hub 540 may be
formed separately and subsequently attached to the walled container
512 within the recessed area 554.
[0069] In FIG. 17, a seventh exemplary container assembly 630 is
assembled in accordance with the teachings of the present
disclosure. The container assembly 630 includes the walled
container 12 and expandable grip accessory 20 of the container
assembly 10 of FIG. 1, for example, disposed within a cavity 638
defined by a sleeve 632. The sleeve 632 is much like any one of the
sleeves 32, 132 and 232 of the previous examples, and includes an
outer surface 636 and an inner surface 634, which at least
partially defines the cavity 638. The sleeve 632 includes an
aperture 650 formed through both the inner surface 634 and the
outer surface 636. In this example, the second end 26 of the
expandable grip accessory 20 is disposed through the aperture 650
of the sleeve 632 and operatively couples to the walled container
12. The assembly 630 of FIG. 17 may be assembled by sliding the
container assembly 10 into the cavity 638 of the sleeve 632 so that
the expandable grip accessory 20 is aligned with the aperture 650
of the sleeve 632. The expandable grip accessory 20 may be pushed
through the aperture 650, or the expandable grip accessory 20 may
couple to the walled container 12 through the sleeve 632 after the
walled container 12 is disposed within the sleeve 132. Once
assembled, the exterior surface 16 of the walled container 12 is
adjacent the inner surface 634 of the sleeve 632 and the expandable
grip accessory 20 is disposed within a stepped profile 652 of the
aperture 650 formed in the outer surface 636 of the sleeve 632.
[0070] Any of the sleeves 32, 132, 232, and 632 of the container
assemblies 30, 130, 230, and 630 of FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 8, and 17 may be
configured to open at a pivot, e.g. a joint, a hinge, etc., to wrap
around a beverage container. For example, FIG. 18 illustrates an
eighth exemplary container assembly 730 constructed in accordance
with the teachings of the present disclosure. A walled container
732 includes a first half 782 and a second half 784 joined and
movable by a hinge 786. The hinge 786 permits the walled container
732 to open, as shown in FIG. 18, to receive a beverage container.
Each half 782, 784 of the sleeve 732 defines in part a cavity 788,
790, respectively, and together the cavities 788, 790 of each half
782, 784 forms a cavity 738 of the sleeve 732. A user may slide a
beverage container into the cavity 738 of the sleeve 732 when the
first half 782 and the second half 784 are closed, as shown, for
example, in FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 8, and 17. A user may also insert the
beverage container in one of the cavities 788, 790 or between the
cavities 788, 790 of the first and second halves 782, 784 before
closing the walled container 732 around the beverage container. In
the illustrated embodiment, each half 782, 784 closes to hold a
particular shaped beverage container. However, in other examples,
the hinge 786 may be configured to permit each half 782, 784 to
rotate beyond the closed position such that an interior surface 734
of one half 782, 784 overlaps with an outer surface 736 of the
other half 784, 782, effectively shrinking the size of the cavity
738 of the sleeve 732. Thus, the sleeve 732 may be compatible with
different sized beverage containers. The third exemplary expandable
grip accessory 220 is operatively coupled to the first half 782 of
the sleeve 732. In other examples, any of the first, second, third,
and fourth exemplary expandable grip accessorys 20, 120, 220, 320
may be coupled to the first half 782, the second half 784, or in
between the first and second halves 782, 784.
[0071] In the example of FIG. 19, a ninth exemplary container
assembly 830 is constructed in accordance with the teachings of the
present disclosure. A sleeve 832 of the ninth exemplary container
assembly 830 is similar to the sleeve 732 of the eighth exemplary
container assembly 730 of FIG. 18 described above, except that the
ninth exemplary container assembly 830 is particularly suited to
wrap around a stemmed walled container, such as a wine glass 812.
Elements of the container assembly 830 in FIG. 19 which are similar
to the elements of the container assembly 730 of FIG. 18 are
designated by the same reference numeral, incremented by 100. A
description of many of these elements is abbreviated or even
eliminated in the interest of brevity.
[0072] In the exemplary arrangement of the container assembly 830
of FIG. 19, the walled container 832 is a hinged sleeve 832, and is
operatively coupled to a fifth exemplary expandable grip accessory
420. The sleeve 832 is sized to receive a narrow stem 894 of the
wine glass 812, and includes a hinge 836 to permit the sleeve 832
to open and close around the stem 894. The sleeve 832 is a circular
band formed by a first half 882 and a second half 884, where the
first half 882 is operatively coupled to the expandable grip
accessory 420. A hub 840 extends from an outer surface 836 of the
sleeve 832 to removably couple to a second end 426 of the
expandable grip accessory 420. In other examples, the expandable
grip accessory 420 may couple to the sleeve 832 in a different
configuration, and the sleeve 832 may be larger, providing a wider
support surface for the expandable grip accessory 420 when the
expandable grip accessory is in a collapsed configuration.
[0073] In a tenth exemplary container assembly 910 of FIG. 20, a
walled container 912 may include a pocket 996 sized to hold a
portable media player 998 with an attached expandable grip
accessory 920. The expandable grip accessory 920 extends through an
opening in the pocket 996 so that a user may grip the walled
container 912 by holding their portable media player. In this way,
the walled container 912 is operatively coupled to the expandable
grip accessory 920 by way of the integrated pocket 920 holding the
portable media player.
[0074] The container assemblies 10, 30, 130, 210, 230, 300, 400,
500, 630, 730, 830, and 910 of FIGS. 1-20 are exemplary and may be
arranged differently to achieve the same or similar function. For
example, a walled container according to the teachings of this
disclosure may be customized to a desired shape and to adaptively
couple to a variety of different expandable grip accessorys. The
walled container may include a different shaped indent or recessed
area to receive the expandable grip accessory and may include a
different coupling mechanism to operatively connect with a grip
accessory body of an expandable grip accessory. The expandable grip
accessorys may be permanently secured to the walled containers, or
the expandable grip accessorys may be removably coupled to the
walled containers such that a grip accessory body may be switched
out a container assembly with another grip accessory body for a
different use, function, and/or design.
[0075] Each of the container assemblies 10, 30, 130, 210, 230, 300,
400, 500, 630, 730, 830, 910 may improve grip on any beverage
container and may also creatively identify the owner or user of the
beverage container. The button of each expandable grip accessory
may provide a logo, design, trademark, slogan, mascot, name, or
other graphic that identifies a company name, sponsor, personal
identification, favorite sports team, artistic design, or other
visual display. In one example, a runner may display the name of
their sponsor on a walled container (e.g. a water bottle) and/or
button of a container assembly that the runner uses while running.
In another example, a party guest may mark their wine glass before
setting it down by attaching a unique container assembly, such as
the container assembly 830 of FIG. 19, to the stem of the wine
glass. In a different setting, a tailgate host may provide a number
of container assembly koozies with a team's mascot, player number,
or other marking for their guests.
[0076] The figures and description provided herein depict and
describe preferred examples of a container assembly or sleeve for
purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily
recognize from the foregoing discussion that alternative examples
of the components illustrated herein may be employed without
departing from the principles described herein. Thus, upon reading
this disclosure, those of skill in the art will appreciate still
additional alternative structural and functional designs for a
container assembly or sleeve. Thus, while particular examples and
applications have been illustrated and described, it is to be
understood that the disclosed examples are not limited to the
precise construction and components disclosed herein. Various
modifications, changes and variations, which will be apparent to
those skilled in the art, may be made in the arrangement, operation
and details of the methods and components disclosed herein without
departing from the spirit and scope defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *