US20250270014A1

US20250270014A1 - Container with magnetic inserts for retaining tumblers

Info

Publication number: US20250270014A1
Application number: US18/823,588
Authority: US
Inventors: Nicholas Barisone; Whitney Gautreaux
Original assignee: High Camp Designs Inc
Current assignee: High Camp Designs Inc
Priority date: 2023-08-31
Filing date: 2024-09-03
Publication date: 2025-08-28
Also published as: WO2025050127A3; WO2025050127A2

Abstract

A beverage container is provided with a magnetic or metal insert held securely in place to a wall of the container by a resilient insert or mat. A tumbler is provided with a corresponding magnetic or metallic insert attracted to the magnetic or metallic insert of the container to hold the tumbler to the container. The magnetic or metal insert of the tumbler is also held securely in place to a wall of the tumbler by a resilient insert or mat. This construction eliminates issues associated with prior methods of fixing the magnetic or metal insert, such as degradation, rattling, and compromised insulation.

Description

CROSS-REFRERNCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63/579,831 filed on Aug. 31, 2023, the entirety of which is incorporated by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to containers, and more particularly to a double-walled beverage containers with magnetic and metal inserts.

BACKGROUND

Flasks are a known device for carrying a beverage and are often used for carrying alcoholic spirits. They may be insulated or be as simple as a sealable container that allows a user to carry the beverage as desired. They typically have opaque walls to hide the type of liquid being carried. However, flasks share a number of drawbacks.
In particular, flasks generally do not include a tumbler. Instead, a user drinks straight from the flask. Thus, if a user wants to drink from the flask, he/she does so directly from the bottle. In there is a desire to share the beverage stored in the flask, then it is generally done in a non-sanitary way. Those flasks which do include a tumbler include only a single tumbler resulting in the same issues of sharing a drinking implement.
Moreover, these tumblers are attached in ways that are not easily accessed. For example, they may be threaded or otherwise attached. In addition, they are often attached directly over the cap of the flask, meaning that for even a small drink the user must unscrew the tumbler, remove the cap, pour the beverage from the bottle into the cup, reattach the cap, the screw the tumbler back onto the flask. In addition, the threading is in the location where the user places his/her lips which can lead to injury such as cuts on the user's lips.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a flask with more than one tumbler. In addition, there is a need in the art for an attachment method for the tumbler which is easier for a user than threading.
It is known in the art to include a drinking cup with a beverage container. Many insulated beverage containers are provided with a drinking cup that can be threadedly attached to the top of the beverage container. THERMOS® makes one such device for carrying hot beverages, such as coffee, in which a cup is threadedly attached to the top of the container over the pouring opening of the beverage container.
A better approach to attaching a drinking cup a beverage container has been developed by the inventors to the instant application. Rather than attaching the drinking cup via a threaded engagement, the internal lid of the beverage container includes a magnet. A cup having a magnetic or metallic and magnetically attracting insert is placed in the top of the lid and held in place by the magnet in the lid. P incorporate magnets or metal inserts into beverage containers. These inserts can serve various purposes, such as making the container stick to metal surfaces, or for use with magnetic accessories. Prior art methods for fixing the magnet or metal disk within the container walls have involved using threaded fasteners or adhesives. However, these methods present several problems. Threaded fasteners can corrode, become loose over time, or compromise the integrity of the container's insulation. Adhesives, on the other hand, can degrade, leading to the magnet or metal disk becoming loose and creating an undesirable rattle within the bottle or tumbler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to overcome these problems by providing a double-walled beverage container wherein the magnet or metal insert is held in place by a molded silicone insert or mat. This not only prevents the magnet or metal disk from becoming loose but also offers various advantages over the prior art methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A is a side view of a first embodiment of a flask with attached tumblers in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional side view of the flask with attached tumblers shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a partial cross-sectional side view of a bottom portion of the flask with attached tumblers shown in FIG. 1B.

FIG. 1D is a partial cross-sectional side view of a top portion of the flask with attached tumblers shown in FIG. 1B.

FIGS. 2A is a side view of a second embodiment of a flask with attached tumbler in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional side view of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is a partial cross-sectional side view of a bottom portion of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 2B.

FIGS. 3A is a side view of a third embodiment of a flask with attached tumbler in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional side view of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is a partial cross-sectional side view of a top portion of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 3B.

FIG. 3D is a partial cross-sectional side view of a bottom portion of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 3B.

FIGS. 4A is a side view of a fourth embodiment of a flask with attached tumbler in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional side view of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is a partial cross-sectional side view of a top portion of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 4B.

FIG. 4D is a partial cross-sectional side view of a bottom portion of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 4B.

FIGS. 5A is a side view of a fifth embodiment of a flask with attached tumbler in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional side view of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is a partial cross-sectional side view of a top portion of the flask with attached tumbler shown in FIG. 5B.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a bottom portion of a fourth embodiment of a flask with attached tumbler in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the figures wherein like structures will be provided with like reference designations. It is understood that the figures are diagrammatic and schematic representations of some embodiments of the invention, and are not limiting of the present invention, nor are they necessarily drawn to scale. As discussed herein, materials that can be magnetized, which are also the ones that are strongly attracted to a magnet, are called ferromagnetic (or ferrimagnetic). These include iron, nickel, cobalt, some alloys of rare-earth metals, and some naturally occurring minerals such as lodestone. Although ferromagnetic (and ferrimagnetic) materials are the only ones attracted to a magnet strongly enough to be commonly considered magnetic, all other substances respond weakly to a magnetic field, by one of several other types of magnetism.
Those of skill in the art will understand that ferromagnetic materials can be divided into magnetically “soft” materials like annealed iron, which can be magnetized but do not tend to stay magnetized, and magnetically “hard” materials, which do. Permanent magnets are made from “hard” ferromagnetic materials such as alnico and ferrite that are subjected to special processing in a strong magnetic field during manufacture to align their internal microcrystalline structure, making them very hard to demagnetize. To demagnetize a saturated magnet, a certain magnetic field must be applied, and this threshold depends on coercivity of the respective material. “Hard” materials have high coercivity, whereas “soft” materials have low coercivity. The overall strength of a magnet is measured by its magnetic moment or, alternatively, the total magnetic flux it produces. The local strength of magnetism in a material is measured by its magnetization.
FIGS. 1A-1C (collectively “FIG. 1 ”) illustrates a first embodiment of a beverage container in the form of a transportable flask, generally indicated at 101, with attached tumblers 100. FIG. 1A illustrates a side plan view of the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100; FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100; FIG. 1C illustrates close-up detail of a bottom portion of the flask 101 identified in FIG. 1B with attached tumbler 100 as identified in FIG. 1B; and FIG. 1D illustrates a close-up detail of a top portion of the flask 101 with attached tumbler 100 as identified in FIG. 1B. The transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 can be used to transport a liquid beverage, even if the liquid beverage is not ambient temperature, and share the liquid beverage amongst two people without forcing them to share a cup. The transportable flask and tumblers are formed from stainless steel, which itself is not a magnetic material (i.e., is not magnetically attracted to a magnet), thus requiring some other means to attach the tumbler.
FIG. 1 shows that the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 includes a bottle 102. The bottle 102 is both thermally insulated and configured to hold a liquid beverage (e.g., the bottle 102 is waterproof). Thermal insulation is the reduction of heat transfer (i.e., the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature) between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Thermal insulation can be achieved with specially engineered methods or processes, as well as with suitable object shapes and materials. Heat flow is an inevitable consequence of contact between objects of different temperature. Thermal insulation provides a region of insulation in which thermal conduction is reduced or thermal radiation is reflected rather than absorbed by the lower-temperature body. As used in the specification and the claims, the phrase “configured to” denotes an actual state of configuration that fundamentally ties recited elements to the physical characteristics of the recited structure. That is, the phrase “configured to” denotes that the element is structurally capable of performing the cited element but need not necessarily be doing so at any given time. Thus, the phrase “configured to” reaches well beyond merely describing functional language or intended use since the phrase actively recites an actual state of configuration.
FIG. 1 also shows that the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 also includes a cap 104. The cap 104 is configured to attach to the bottle 102. The cap 104 is a protective lid or cover which seals the interior of the bottle 102. The cap 104 allows a user to access the liquid beverage in the bottle 102. The cap 104 completely seals the bottle 102 such that the liquid beverage remains within the bottle 102 when the cap 104 is in place.
FIG. 1 further shows that the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 includes threading 106. For example, the cap 104 can include male threading 106 which mates with female threading 106 in the neck of the bottle 102. A threading 106, sometimes called a screw thread, is a helical structure used to convert between rotational and linear movement or force. The thread 106 is a ridge wrapped around a cylinder or cone in the form of a helix, with the former being called a straight thread and the latter called a tapered thread. Thus, the thread 106 converts rotation of the cap 104 to linear motion of the cap 104 to linear motion of the cap 104 relative to the bottle 102. The cap 104 may also be attached to the neck of the bottle 102 by other means known in the art. For example, the cap 104 may be attached to the neck of the bottle 102 by snap fit, friction fit, luer-type lock or with a mechanical clamping device.
The mechanical advantage of a thread 106 depends on its lead, which is the linear distance the screw travels in one revolution. In most applications, the lead of a thread 106 is chosen so that friction is sufficient to prevent linear motion being converted to rotary, that is so the cap 104 does not slip even when linear force is applied, as long as no external rotational force is present. Thread lead and thread pitch are closely related concepts. The difference between them can cause confusion because they are equivalent for some screws. Lead is the distance along the screw's axis that is covered by one complete rotation of the screw (360°). Pitch is the distance from the crest of one thread to the next. Because the vast majority of screw thread forms are single-start thread forms, their lead and pitch are the same. “Single-start” means that there is only one “ridge” wrapped around the cylinder of the screw's body. Each time that the screw's body rotates one turn (360°), it has advanced axially by the width of one ridge. “Double-start” means that there are two “ridges” wrapped around the cylinder of the screw's body. Each time that the screw's body rotates one turn (360°), it has advanced axially by the width of two ridges. Another way to say the same idea is that lead and pitch are parametrically related, and the parameter that relates them, the number of starts, often has a value of 1, in which case their relationship becomes equivalence. Single start threads will be assumed herein unless otherwise specified. Specifying the lead of a thread form can include metric based or inch-based standards.
For example, inch-based standards usually use threads per inch (TPI), which is how many threads occur per inch of axial screw length. Lead and TPI describe the same underlying physical property—merely in different terms. When units of measurement are constant TPI is the reciprocal of lead and vice versa. For example, a ¼-20 thread has 20 TPI, which means that its lead is 1/20 inch (0.050″). Metric based standards can measure the threads per millimeter or threads per centimeter.
FIG. 1 additionally shows that the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 can include a seal 108. The seal 108 prevents leaks between the cap 104 and the bottle 102. For example, the seal 108 can include a silicone gasket (e.g., an O-ring) that is placed around a portion of the cap 104. The seal 108 stays in place around the cap 104 such that when a user places the cap 104 on the bottle 102 the seal prevents any leakage between the bottle 102 and the cap 104. In particular, rotation of the cap 104 relative to the bottle 102 can exert force on the seal 108 via the threads 106 which compresses the seal 108.
FIG. 1 moreover shows that the transportable flask with attached tumblers 100 includes a pair of tumblers or cups. The pair of tumblers 100 are identical to one another and are secured to the bottom of the bottle 102 and to the cap 104, as described below. The tumblers 100 are small, bowl-shaped containers for drinking. The tumblers 100 can receive the liquid beverage poured from the bottle 102, allowing a user to drink the beverage.
As shown in FIG. 1B, which illustrates a cross-sectional view of the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100. FIG. 1C illustrates a close-up cross-sectional view of the bottom of the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100; FIG. 1D illustrates a close-up cross-sectional view of the top of the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100; The transportable flask 101 is meant to be capable of serving a liquid with all pieces attached. The transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 is configured to hold a liquid beverage for transportation, such as hiking, and then allows the beverage to be enjoyed and shared upon reaching the user's destination.
As shown in FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1D, the bottle 102 and the pair of tumblers 100 include a double wall configuration. The double wall structure 202 of the bottle 102 acts to insulate the bottle 102. That is, the double wall structure 202 includes a low thermal conductivity material which slows heat transfer between the bottle 102 and the outside environment. For example, the double wall structure 202 includes outer wall 203 and inner wall 205 that defines a space 207 between the walls 203 and 205 that can include a vacuum or filled with air or other desired gas or gasses. A benefit of a vacuum is that a vacuum typically has less thermal conductivity than air, although even a double wall configuration filled with air significantly reduces thermal conduction between the two walls. The double wall structure 202 extends from the neck portion of the bottle 102 to and around the bottom of the bottle 102.
FIG. 1 further shows that the cap 104 includes a first magnet 206 in the cap 104. A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets (depending on alignment of the polarity). A permanent magnet is an object made from a material that is magnetized and creates its own persistent magnetic field. An everyday example is a refrigerator magnet used to hold notes on a refrigerator door. As used herein, the magnetic materials are paired with one another. The pair of magnetic materials can include either two permanent magnets arranged so as to be attracted to one another or a permanent magnet and a ferromagnetic material also arranged so as to be attracted to one another.
It is also noted that certain materials can be magnetized or display magnetic properties, which includes materials that are strongly attracted to a magnet. These ferromagnetic (or ferrimagnetic) materials include iron, nickel, cobalt, some alloys of rare-earth metals, and some naturally occurring minerals such as lodestone. Although ferromagnetic (and ferrimagnetic) materials are the only ones attracted to a magnet strongly enough to be commonly considered magnetic, all other substances respond weakly to a magnetic field, by one of several other types of magnetism.
Ferromagnetic materials can be divided into magnetically “soft” materials like annealed iron, which can be magnetized but do not tend to stay magnetized, and magnetically “hard” materials, which do. Materials that can be magnetized, which are also the ones that are strongly attracted to a magnet, are called ferromagnetic (or ferrimagnetic). These include the elements iron, nickel and cobalt and their alloys, some alloys of rare-earth metals, and some naturally occurring minerals such as lodestone. Permanent magnets are made from “hard” ferromagnetic materials such as alnico and ferrite that are subjected to special processing in a strong magnetic field during manufacture to align their internal microcrystalline structure, making them very hard to demagnetize. To demagnetize a saturated magnet, a certain magnetic field must be applied, and this threshold depends on coercivity of the respective material. “Hard” materials have high coercivity, whereas “soft” materials have low coercivity. The overall strength of a magnet is measured by its magnetic moment or, alternatively, the total magnetic flux it produces. The local strength of magnetism in a material is measured by its magnetization.
FIGS. 1B and 1C additionally show that the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 can include a second magnet 208 in the bottom of the bottle 102. The bottom of the bottle 102 thus has a magnet (or ferromagnetic material) positioned within a recess 211 formed in the outer wall 203 at the bottom of the bottle 102 with the double wall structure 202 positioned above the second magnet 208. A cover plate 209 is welded to the bottom of the bottle 102 around the perimeter of the opening of the recess 211. Whatever is used in the cap 104 will generally be used in the recess 211 of the bottle 102 and vice versa. That is, if the first magnet 206 is a permanent magnet, then the second magnet will likewise be a permanent magnet, and if the first magnet 206 is ferromagnetic material, then the second magnet 208 will be ferromagnetic material. In addition, the polarity of the first magnet 206 will be opposite the second magnet 208. That is, if the polarity of the first magnet 206 is such that the positive pole is directed upward when the cap 104 is secured to the bottle 102 then the polarity of the second magnet 208 will be such that the positive pole is directed downward. The orientation of the first magnet 206 and the second magnet 208 are both such that the positive pole is the same relative to the center of the bottle 102 (e.g., both positive poles point toward or away from the center of the bottle 102).
Fitted within the recess 211 and around the second magnet 208 between the second magnet 208 and the outer wall 203 of the bottle 102 is a resilient insert 215 made of silicone. The silicone insert 215 forms a mat between the magnet 206 and the bottom of the bottle 102. The silicone insert 215 is disc shaped with a bottom recess 217 sized and shaped to receive the second magnet 208. The recess 217 may also be disc shaped to receive the magnet 208 in the form of a disc, with the diameter of the silicone mat 215 being greater than a diameter of the magnet 208 and the overall height of the silicone mat 215 being greater than a height of the magnet 208. The cover plate 209 is also disc shaped and covers the circular opening of the recess 211 in the bottom of the bottle 102. The silicone mat may be molded or alternatively formed in situ by pouring a curable rubber compound into the recess in which the mat is to be formed during the manufacturing process.
FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1D further show that the transportable flask 101 with attached tumblers 100 includes a third magnetic material 210 a and a fourth magnetic material 210 b (collectively “cup magnets 210”) within a respective tumbler. The cup magnets 210 secure the pair of tumblers 100 to the bottle 102 and the cap 104, respectively, for holding the tumblers 100 to the bottle 102. If the cup magnets 210 are permanent magnets, the polarity of the cup magnets 210 are aligned to be opposite the polarity of the first magnetic material 206 and second magnetic material 208 (e.g., if the positive pole of the first magnet 206 and the second magnet 208 both point away from the center of the bottle 102 then the negative pole of the tumblers 100 points to the center of the bottle 102 when the tumblers 100 are in place). If the cup magnets 210 are formed from a ferromagnetic material that is attracted to a magnet but no magnetized itself, then polarity is not of concern. Therefore, whether the cup magnets 210 are permanent magnets or formed from a ferromagnetic material, when one of the tumblers 100 is placed near the bottom of the bottle 102 (i.e., in proximity to the first magnet 206) there is a magnetic attraction which holds each tumbler 100 in place.
Likewise, when one of the tumblers 100 is placed near cap 104 (i.e., in proximity to the first magnet 206) there is a magnetic attraction which holds the tumbler 100 to the cap 104. As further show in FIG. 1C, a vacuum port 221 is provided in the bottom of the tumbler 100 to allow a vacuum to be pulled in the double wall structure 223 of the tumbler 100, which is then sealed by the bottom plate 225 of the tumbler 100.
FIGS. 2A-2C (collectively “FIG. 2 ”) illustrates a second embodiment of a transportable flask, generally indicated at 301. In the is embodiment, the flask is configured with a single tumbler 300 removably attached to the top of the bottle 302. FIG. 2A illustrates a side plan view of the transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300; FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300; and FIG. 2C illustrates a close-up detail of a top portion of the flask 301 with attached tumbler 300 as identified in FIG. 2B. The transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300 can be used to transport a liquid beverage, even if the liquid beverage is not ambient temperature, and share the liquid beverage amongst two people without forcing them to share a cup. In the is embodiment, the flask is configured with a single tumbler 300 removably attached to the top of the bottle 302. FIG. 2A illustrates a side plan view of the transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300; FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300; and FIG. 2C illustrates a close-up detail of a top portion of the flask 301 with attached tumbler 300 as identified in FIG. 2B. The transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300 can be used to transport a liquid beverage, even if the liquid beverage is not ambient temperature, and share the liquid beverage amongst two people without forcing them to share a cup.
Like the flask of FIG. 1 , double wall 402 of the flask 301 comprises two walls: an inner wall 405 and an outer wall 403. These walls 403 and 405 are strategically designed to form an insulating layer 424 therein between. This insulating layer 424 serves to maintain a temperature of a beverage inside the flask 301 for an extended period, ensuring that hot beverages remain hot and cold beverages remain cold. The outer wall 403 and inner wall 405 define a space 207 between the walls 203 and 205 that can include a vacuum or filled with air or other desired gas or gasses. The double wall structure 202 extends from the neck portion of the bottle 102 to and around the bottom of the bottle 102.
FIGS. 2B and 2C additionally show that the transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300 can include a second magnet 408 in the bottom of the bottle 302. The bottom of the bottle 302 thus has a magnet positioned within a recess 411 formed in the outer wall 403 at the bottom of the bottle 302 with the double wall structure 402 positioned above the second magnet 408. This allows the flask 301 to be placed on a magnetically attractive surface, such as a steel table, that will hold the flask 301 in an upright position and is less susceptible to being tipped over. A cover plate 409 is welded to the bottom of the bottle 302 around the perimeter of the opening of the recess 411.
Fitted within the recess 411 and around the second magnet 408 between the second magnet 408 and the outer wall 203 of the bottle 302 is a resilient insert 415 made of silicone. The silicone insert 415 forms a mat between the magnet 206 and the bottom of the bottle 302. The silicone insert 215 is disc shaped with a bottom recess 417 sized and shaped to receive the second magnet 408. The recess 417 may also be disc shaped to receive the magnet 408 in the form of a disc, with the diameter of the silicone mat 415 being greater than a diameter of the magnet 408 and the overall height of the silicone mat 415 being greater than a height of the magnet 408. The cover plate 209 is also disc shaped and covers the circular opening of the recess 411 in the bottom of the bottle 302.
FIGS. 1B and 2C further show that the transportable flask 301 with attached tumbler 300 includes a third magnetic material 410 (“cup magnet 410”) within the tumbler. The cup magnet 410 secures the tumbler 300 to the bottle 302 and more specifically to the cap 304 for holding the tumbler 300 to the top of the bottle 302. The polarity of the cup magnet 410 is aligned to be opposite the polarity of the magnetic material 406 (if a magnet is employed). Therefore, when the tumbler 300 is placed over the top of the bottle 302 (i.e., in proximity to the magnet 206) with the inside bottom of the tumbler 100 in close proximity to the top of the cap 304, there is a magnetic attraction which holds the tumbler 300 in place. As further show in FIG. 1C, a vacuum port 421 is provided in the bottom of the tumbler 300 to allow a vacuum to be pulled in the double wall structure 423 of the tumbler 300, which is then sealed by the bottom plate 425 of the tumbler 300. In addition, a silicone mat 431 is interposed between inner and outer portions 304′ and 304″ of the cap 304 and between the magnet 406 to prevent rattling between the cap 304 and the magnet 406.
The embodiments of flasks shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, 4A-4D and 5A-5C are similarly configures to the heretofore described embodiments but with different shaped bottles and in some cases differently shaped tumblers. That is the double tumbler/bottle configuration of the flask shown in FIGS. 4A-4 d are similar to the flask shown and described with reference to FIG. 1 . Likewise, the single tumbler/bottle configuration of the flasks shown in FIGS. 3A-3D and 5A-5C are similar to the flask shown and described with reference to FIG. 2 .
FIG. 3A illustrates a side plan view of the transportable flask 501 with attached tumbler 500; FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the transportable flask 501 with attached tumbler 500; FIG. 3C illustrates a close-up detail of a top portion of the flask 501 with attached tumbler 500 as identified in FIG. 3B; and FIG. 3D illustrates a close-up detail of a bottom portion of the flask 501 with attached tumbler 500 as identified in FIG. 3B. The transportable flask 501 with attached tumbler 500 can be used to transport a liquid beverage, even if the liquid beverage is not ambient temperature, and share the liquid beverage amongst two people without forcing them to share a cup. In the is embodiment, the flask is configured with a single tumbler 500 removably attached to the top of the bottle 502.
Like the flask of FIG. 2A, double wall 602 of the flask 501 comprises two walls: an inner wall 605 and an outer wall 603. These walls 603 and 605 are strategically designed to form an insulating layer 624 therein between. This insulating layer 624 serves to maintain a temperature of a beverage inside the flask 501 for an extended period, ensuring that hot beverages remain hot and cold beverages remain cold. The outer wall 603 and inner wall 605 define a space 607 between the walls 603 and 605 that can include a vacuum or filled with air or other desired gas or gasses. The double wall structure 602 extends from the neck portion of the bottle 102 to and around the bottom of the bottle 302.
FIGS. 3B and 3D additionally show that the transportable flask 501 with attached tumbler 500 can include a second magnet 608 in the bottom of the bottle 502. The bottom of the bottle 502 thus has a magnet positioned within a recess 611 formed in the outer wall 603 at the bottom of the bottle 502 with the double wall structure 602 positioned above the second magnet 608. This allows the flask 501 to be placed on a magnetically attractive surface, such as a steel table, that will hold the flask 501 in an upright position and is less susceptible to being tipped over. A cover plate 609 is welded to the bottom of the bottle 502 around the perimeter of the opening of the recess 611.
Fitted within the recess 611 and around the second magnet 408 between the second magnet 408 and the outer wall 603 of the bottle 502 is a resilient insert 615 made of silicone. The silicone insert 615 forms a mat between the magnet 408 and the bottom of the bottle. The silicone insert 615 is disc shaped with a bottom recess 617 sized and shaped to receive the second magnet 608. The recess 617 may also be disc shaped to receive the magnet 608 in the form of a disc, with the diameter of the silicone mat 615 being greater than a diameter of the magnet 608 and the overall height of the silicone mat 615 being greater than a height of the magnet 608. The cover plate 609 is also disc shaped and covers the circular opening of the recess 611 in the bottom of the bottle 302.
FIG. 3C further show that the transportable flask 501 with attached tumbler 500 includes a third magnetic material 610 (“cup magnet 610”) within the tumbler. The cup magnet 610 secures the tumbler 500 to the bottle 502 and more specifically to the cap 504 for holding the tumbler 500 to the top of the bottle 502. The polarity of the cup magnet 610 is aligned to be opposite the polarity of the magnetic material 606 (if a magnet is employed). Therefore, when the tumbler 500 is placed over the top of the bottle 502 (i.e., in proximity to the magnet 606) with the inside bottom of the tumbler 500 in close proximity to the top of the cap 504, there is a magnetic attraction which holds the tumbler 500 in place. In addition, a silicone mat 631 is interposed between inner and outer portions 504′ and 504″ of the cap 504 and between the magnet 606 to prevent rattling between the cap 504 and the magnet 606.
There are a few differences, however, worth mentioning. The silicone mats or discs 702, 704 and 706 shown in FIGS. 4B-4D are provided with ribbed outer surfaces 702′, 704′ and 706′, respectively, to as to provide additional resilience. Likewise, the silicone mats or discs 802, 804 and 806 shown in FIGS. 5B-5D and in FIGS-5B and 5C are provided with ribbed outer surfaces 802′, 804′ and 806′, respectively, to as to provide additional resilience. The ribs may be formed by concentric recesses formed in one or more surfaces of the silicone mat, with the ribs essentially forming concentric circles on the surface of the silicone mat. These ridges or ribs allow the silicone mat to be compressed when the metal insert expands when exposed to heat and contract when the metal or magnetic disc is cooled, thus accommodating the expansion and contraction of the metal or magnetic discs that would otherwise allow the metal or magnetic disc to become loose within their respective retaining recesses and rattle within the bottle or tumbler as the case may be.
A partial cross-sectional view of a bottom portion of a flask assembly 900 in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 6 . The flask assembly 900 includes a bottle 902 and an attachable tumbler 904, the attachable tumbler 904 being magnetically coupled to the bottom portion of the bottle 902.
The bottom surface 906 of the bottle 902 defines a recess 908 having a cylindrical shape and configured to receive a first magnetic material 909 in the shape of a disc and a resilient insert 910 also in the shape of a disc. The insert 910 defines a bottom recess 912 therein for at least partially receiving and retaining the first magnetic material 909. The insert 910 may be formed from silicone and may be slightly compressed between the wall of the recess 908 and the first magnetic material 909 so as to bias the first magnetic material 909 against the bottom of the bottle 902 and securely hold the magnetic material 909 in place relative to the bottom of the bottle 902, thus prevent rattling of the first magnetic material within the recess 908. A bottom plate 914 covers the opening of the recess 908 and may be welded to the bottom of the bottle 902 to secure it and the insert 910 and first magnetic material 909 in place.
The inside bottom surface 916 of the tumbler 904 also defines a recess 918 for holding a second magnetic material 920 to the inside bottom surface of the tumbler 904. The second magnetic material 920 may be disc shaped to match the cylindrical shape of the recess 918. The second magnetic material 920 may be adhesively attached to the tumbler, welded to the tumbler or held by a retaining member 922. The retaining member may comprise a metal member welded or otherwise attached to the second magnetic material 920 to hold it in place relateive to the bottom inside surface of the tumbler 904. The retaining member could also be formed from other materials to provide a biasing of the second magnetic material 920 toward the inner wall of the tumbler 904 to provide a bias of the second magnetic material 920 against the inside bottom wall of the tumbler 904.
The bottom of the tumbler 904 includes a port 924 plugged by a sealing member 926 that allows the tumbler 904 to be vacuum insulated. A plate 928 retains the sealing member 926 in place and may be welded to the bottom of the tumbler 904.
There are several advantages that arise from using the silicone insert:

- 1. Enhanced Durability: Unlike threaded fasteners that can corrode over time or adhesives that may degrade, silicone ensures the magnet or metal insert remains in place throughout the container's lifespan.
- 2. Maintained Insulation: The incorporation of the silicone insert does not interfere with or compromise the insulating properties of the double-walled construction. This is especially beneficial when compared to threaded fasteners, which may impede the container's insulating properties.
- 3. Simplified Manufacturing: Introducing the silicone insert simplifies the manufacturing process. There's no need for threading parts of the container or applying adhesive, which can be messy and inconsistent.
- 4. Safety and Environmental Concerns Addressed: Silicone is environmentally friendly. By eliminating the use of adhesives, potential issues related to chemical degradation or leaching are bypassed.
- 5. Additionally, the secure encapsulation ensures that even if the container is subjected to wear and tear, or heat and cold the magnet or metal disk will not become a loose part, with the silicone insert able to expand or contract as needed to hold the magnet or metal disk in place.

In conclusion, the detailed design of the flask provides a holistic approach to integrating a magnet or metal insert securely therein. The innovative use of a molded silicone insert or mat ensures durability, safety, and a number of functional advantages over other known fixing methods.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage container comprising:

an inner wall;

an outer wall, wherein said inner and outer walls create an insulating layer;

a first magnetic or metal insert positioned within a recess in the outer wall;

a resilient insert configured to at least partially encapsulate the first magnetic or metal insert snugly and interposed between the magnetic or metal insert and the outer wall to fit respective surface contours of the outer wall and the first magnetic or metal insert, effectively holding the first magnetic or metal insert in place.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert offers cushioning to the magnetic or metal insert, preventing it from rattling relative to the outer wall.

3. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert is inert, durable, and resistant to a wide range of temperatures.

4. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert is comprised of silicone.

5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert does not compromise the insulating properties of the container.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic or metal insert is situated at the bottom of the container.

7. The beverage container of claim 1, further comprising a tumbler sized and shaped to fit over a bottom of the container and having a second magnetic or metal insert therein configured to be held to the container by the first magnetic or metal insert.

8. The beverage container of claim 7, wherein the second magnetic or metal insert is positioned in a bottom of the tumbler.

9. A beverage container comprising:

a bottle portion having a neck and a bottom opposite the neck, the neck defining a pouring opening;

a cap configured to attach to the neck and having a first magnetic or metal insert disposed within a top of the cap;

a resilient insert configured to at least partially encapsulate the first magnetic or metal insert snugly and interposed between the first magnetic or metal insert and an outer wall of the cap to fit respective surface contours of the outer wall and the magnetic or metal insert, effectively holding said magnetic or metal insert in place.

10. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert offers cushioning to the magnetic or metal insert, preventing it from rattling relative to the outer wall.

11. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert is inert, durable, and resistant to a wide range of temperatures.

12. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert is comprised of silicone.

13. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the resilient insert does not compromise the insulating properties of the container.

14. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic or metal insert is situated at the top of the container.

15. The beverage container of claim 14, further comprising a tumbler sized and shaped to fit over a top of the container and having a second magnetic or metal insert therein configured to be held to the cap of the container by the first magnetic or metal insert.

16. The beverage container of claim 15, wherein the second magnetic or metal insert is positioned in a bottom of the tumbler.