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United States Patent Application	20080230504
Kind Code	A1
Nowzari; Nader	September 25, 2008

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Claims

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1. A beverage bottle particularly adapted for promotional use, comprising:a body portion having a sidewall portion extending vertically between a neck portion and a base portion, the sidewall portion having a flange portion which peripherally defines a cavity portion, the cavity portion extending a predetermined depth inwardly of the plane of the sidewall portion;a seal portion disposed over the flange portion and cavity portion of the body portion to sealably enclose the cavity portion, the seal portion provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive for sealing the seal portion to the flange portion, the pressure sensitive adhesive enabling the seal portion to be peeled from and resealed to the flange portion of the body portion; anda promotional product removably sealed within a storage compartment defined by the cavity portion and the seal portion, the promotional product being frictionally retained within the cavity portion and spaced apart from the seal portion so as to prevent the deformation of the seal portion during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle.

2. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity portion is defined by a cavity edge extending substantially inwardly from the sidewall portion of the body portion to a recessed cavity wall.

3. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plane of the cavity wall of the cavity portion is substantially co-planar with the sidewall portion of the body portion.

4. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dimensions of the cavity portion substantially conform to the dimensions of the promotional product so as to frictional engage the promotional product within the cavity portion.

5. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange portion and the pressure sensitive adhesive on the seal portion separate when the storage compartment is peeled open, and wherein the flange portion and the pressure sensitive adhesive on the seal portion adhere when the storage compartment is resealed.

6. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the material strength of the seal portion is greater than the adhesive strength of the pressure sensitive adhesive to prevent tearing when the seal portion is peeled from and sealed to the beverage bottle.

7. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal portion is adhered to the flange portion of the body portion to form a seal around the cavity portion so that the storage compartment is substantially sealed to exclude air and water.

8. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the promotional product is sealed within the storage compartment so as not to dislodge uncontrollably during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle.

9. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity portion is fractionally longer than the promotional product to enable the finger grasping and removal of the promotional product from the cavity portion.

10. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal portion is substantially durable to resist impact forces against the body portion and the promotional product during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle.

11. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal portion is manufactured from a flexible foil material.

12. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal portion is manufactured from a flexible plastic material.

13. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the promotional product is a whistle adapted to be removed from the storage compartment and releasably secured to the neck portion of the beverage bottle.

14. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the promotional product is a banner furled around one or more telescopic members and disposed within the storage compartment.

15. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a liquid beverage within the body portion is maintained separate from the promotional product within the storage compartment.

16. A beverage bottle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the promotional product is a miniature beverage bottle containing a liquor beverage adapted to be removed from the storage compartment and combined with the liquid beverage in the body portion to prepare a mixed liquid beverage.

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Description

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001]The present invention relates generally to beverage bottles and, more specifically, to a beverage bottle adapted for promotional use having a peelable and resealable storage compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]Promotional products are commonly used by businesses to increase public awareness of their goods and services. In respect to packaged foods, such as cereals and potato chips, manufacturers can easily include the promotional products within the packaging at the time of manufacture. Following the purchase of such packaged foods, the consumer may open the packaging and remove the promotional product for their use and enjoyment. Thus far, manufacturers have not been provided with a suitable approach for providing promotional products with liquid beverages. An existing approach is to secure the promotional product to a hang tag around the neck portion of the beverage bottle when the liquid beverage is offered to the general public. Manufacturers have discovered that this approach is problematic for the reason that consumers may easily remove the promotional product from the beverage bottle without having to purchase the associated beverage bottle.

[0003]Promotional products are increasingly used at sporting and entertainment events to encourage spectators to attend and support the participants in the subject event. In view of the increased security conditions at most public sporting and entertainment events, spectators are routinely not permitted to bring banners and other novelty promotional products to the events. Without banners or novelty promotional products, spectators are often unable to fully enjoy and participate in the excitement of sporting and entertainment events.

[0004]In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved beverage bottle having a storage compartment in which a promotional product can be readily disposed while being easily opened and resealed by a simple pressure seal portion. It is advantageous to provide a beverage bottle having a promotional product disposed within a storage compartment to prevent the dislocation of such promotional products during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle and to instill consumer confidence in the integrity of the promotional product accompanying the beverage bottle. There is also a need for a beverage bottle having a promotional product for use by manufacturers and other commercial entities in conjunction with promotional and advertising campaigns at sporting and entertainment events. The beverage bottle of the present invention may also be used by a consumer in a conventional manner to quench their thirst and thereby further enhance their enjoyment of the sporting or entertainment event.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005]The present invention comprises a beverage bottle particularly adapted for promotional use having a body portion having a sidewall portion extending vertically between a neck portion and a base portion, the sidewall portion having a flange portion which peripherally defines a cavity portion, the cavity portion extending a predetermined depth inwardly of the plane of the sidewall portion. A seal portion is disposed over the flange portion and cavity portion of the body portion to sealably enclose the cavity portion, the seal portion provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive for sealing the seal portion to the flange portion. The pressure sensitive adhesive enabling the seal portion to be peeled from and resealed to the flange portion of the body portion. A promotional product removably sealed within a storage compartment defined by the cavity portion and the seal portion, the promotional product being frictionally retained within the cavity portion and spaced apart from the seal portion so as to prevent the deformation of the seal portion during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle.

[0006]In a further aspect of the present invention, the cavity portion is defined by a cavity edge 30 extending substantially inwardly from the sidewall portion of the body portion to a recessed cavity wall. The plane of the cavity wall of the cavity portion is substantially co-planar with the sidewall portion of the body portion. The dimensions of the cavity portion substantially conform to the dimensions of the promotional product so as to frictionally engage the promotional product within the cavity portion.

[0007]In a further aspect, the flange portion and the pressure sensitive adhesive on the seal portion separate when the storage compartment is peeled open, and wherein the flange portion and the pressure sensitive adhesive on the seal portion adhere when the storage compartment is resealed. The material strength of the seal portion is greater than the adhesive strength of the pressure sensitive adhesive to prevent tearing when the seal portion is peeled from and sealed to the beverage bottle. The seal portion is adhered to the flange portion of the body portion to form a seal around the cavity portion so that the storage compartment is substantially sealed to exclude air and water.

[0008]In another aspect of the present invention, the promotional product is sealed within the storage compartment so as not to dislodge uncontrollably during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle. The cavity portion is fractionally longer than the promotional product to enable the finger grasping and removal of the promotional product from the cavity portion. The seal portion is substantially durable to resist impact forces against the body portion and the promotional product during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle. The seal portion may be manufactured from a flexible foil material or a flexible plastic material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage bottle illustrating a storage compartment containing a promotional products in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is cross-sectional view of the beverage bottle illustrated in FIG. 1 and showing the storage compartment and the promotional product;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a beverage bottle illustrating the promotional product disposed and partially sealed within the storage compartment of the beverage bottle;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a beverage bottle illustrating a miniature beverage bottle sealed within the storage compartment;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention illustrating a pair of promotional eyeglasses received within the storage compartment of the beverage bottle; and

[0015]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 wherein the pair of promotional eyeglasses are partially sealed within the storage compartment of the beverage bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016]Reference is made to FIGS. 1-3 which illustrate a beverage bottle 10 particularly adapted for promotional use in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The beverage bottle 10 of the present invention has a body portion 12 for holding a liquid beverage. The body portion 12 has a lid or cap 14 releasably coupled to a neck portion 16 which, when removed, enables a consumer to drink or pour the liquid beverage from the beverage bottle 10. The lid or cap 14 may be coupled to the neck portion 16 using any suitable fastening mechanism, such as a threaded fastening mechanism or a snap-fit fastening mechanism. The neck portion 16 is formed with a generally sloping shoulder portion 18 which merges with a cylindrical sidewall portion 20. The cylindrical sidewall portion 20 extends to a base portion 22 which is adapted to support and stabilize the beverage bottle 10 when it is placed on a generally horizontal surface.

[0017]Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the sidewall portion 20 extending vertically between the neck portion 16 and the base portion 22 is provided with a flange portion 24. The flange portion 24 peripherally defining a cavity portion 26 formed in the sidewall portion 20. The flange portion 24 may extend onto the neck and base portions 16 and 22 so as to define a larger cavity portion 26 in the body portion 12. The cavity portion 26 having a cavity wall 28 that is substantially co-planar with the sidewall portion 20 of the body portion 12 and a cavity edge 30 extending between the cavity wall 28 and the sidewall portion 20. The cavity portion 26 extends a predetermined depth inwardly of the plane of the sidewall portion 20 towards the centre of the cylindrical body portion 12. The cavity portion 26 terminates at a top end 32 which is proximate to the neck portion 16 of the beverage bottle 10. The cavity portion 26 is integrally formed from the material of the body portion 12 by conventional molding or vacuum-forming methods. By this design, the liquid beverage contained within the body portion 12 of the beverage bottle 10 cannot leak or otherwise seep from the beverage bottle 10 into or through the cavity portion 26. The beverage bottle 10 may be constructed to resemble any commercially available bottle for holding a liquid beverage and may be manufactured from any suitable plastic material, such as, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It should be understood that the beverage bottle 10 of the present invention may be adapted to store any suitable liquid, such as, for example, water, juice, milk, carbonated sodas, beer and liquor.

[0018]Referring to FIG. 3, a seal portion 34 disposed over the flange portion 24 and cavity portion 26 of the body portion 12 to sealably enclose the cavity portion 26. The seal portion 34 is provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive 36 for sealing the seal portion 34 to the flange portion 24. The sealing of the seal portion 34 over the cavity portion 26 defines a storage compartment 38 therebetween dimensioned to receive a promotional product. The provision of the seal portion 34 over the cavity portion 26 prevents tampering with the promotional product prior to the purchase of the beverage bottle 10 by a consumer. Preferably, the dimensions of the cavity portion 26 substantially conform to the dimensions of the promotional product so as to frictionally engage the promotional product within the cavity portion 26. The promotional product is substantially frictionally retained within the cavity portion 26 and the storage compartment 38 due to the interaction between the cavity wall 28 and cavity edge 28, respectively, and the promotional product. More preferably, the predetermined depth of the cavity portion 26 is such that the promotional product is slightly spaced apart from the sealing portion when disposed within the storage compartment 38. By this design, uncontrollable movement of the promotional product during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle 10 is minimized, thereby substantially preventing the promotional product from deforming the seal portion 34 and marring the aesthetic appearance of the beverage bottle 10.

[0019]To prevent the occurrence of damage to the promotional product during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle 10, the seal portion 34 is preferably manufactured from a flexible foil or plastic material. It should be understood that the foil or plastic materials may consist of a base layer 42 and an adhesive layer 44 bonded together in a conventional heat sealing method (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6). Preferably, the material strength of the seal portion 34 is greater than the adhesive strength of the pressure sensitive adhesive 36 provided on the adhesive layer 44 so as to substantially prevent tearing or ripping when the seal portion 34 is peeled from and sealed to the beverage bottle 10. Moreover, the base layer 42 is substantially durable to resist impact forces against the seal portion 34, body portion 12 and the promotional product during the commercial handling of the beverage bottle 10.

[0020]Referring to FIG. 3, the pressure sensitive adhesive 36 provided on the seal portion 34 is adapted to enable the seal portion 34 to be peeled from and resealed to the flange portion 24 of the body portion 12 by a consumer of the beverage bottle 10. The flange portion 24 and the pressure sensitive adhesive 36 on the seal portion 34 separate when the storage compartment 38 is peeled open. Conversely, the flange portion 24 and the pressure sensitive adhesive 36 on the seal portion 34 adhere when the storage compartment 38 is resealed. The seal portion 34 is adhered to the flange portion 24 of the body portion 12 to form a seal around the cavity portion 26 so that the storage compartment 38 is substantially sealed to exclude air and water.

[0021]Referring to FIG. 2 the promotional product is adapted to be initially stored within the storage compartment 38 when the beverage bottle 10 is offered and subsequently sold to a consumer at a sporting or entertainment venue, for example. When the beverage bottle 10 is purchased by the consumer, the seal portion 34 may be at least partially peeled from flange portion 24 to permit access to the promotional product 40 stored within the storage compartment 38. The top end 32 of the cavity portion 26 may be fractionally longer than the promotional product to enable the finger grasping and removal of the promotional product from the cavity portion 26. Once removed from the storage compartment 38, the consumer may then display or otherwise use the promotional product during the course of the sporting or entertainment venue. It should be understood that a wide variety of promotional products 40 may be provided within the storage compartment 38, including, but not limited to, banners, flags, signs, miniature beverage bottles, whistles, candies, glow sticks, rally sticks, inflatable balloons, and/or condoms.

[0022]In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, the promotional product 40 consists of a banner 46 dimensioned to be received within the cavity portion 26 and the storage compartment 38. The banner 46 may consist of a plurality of telescopic members 48 and a flag portion 50 which may be unfurled and displayed by a consumer during a sporting or entertainment event. The flag portion 50 may bear information relating to the liquid beverage, the beverage manufacturer, and/or the participants in the sporting or entertainment event, for example. The flag portion 50 is secured to at least one of the telescopic members 48 at a flag end 52 of the promotional product 40.

[0023]During assembly, the plurality of telescopic members 48 are press-fit or snap fit into one another to collapse the promotional product 40 into a compact size suitable for insertion into the storage compartment 38. The flag portion 50 is furled or rolled up around the collapsed telescopic members 48 to facilitate the manual or automated insertion of the promotional product 40 into the storage compartment 38 of the beverage bottle 10. The seal portion 34 may then be adhered to the flange portion 24 to prevent the removal or tampering of the promotional product prior to the sale of the beverage bottle 10

[0024]When the seal portion 34 is at least partially peeled from the flange portion 24, the banner 46 may be removed from the cavity portion 26 (as shown in FIG. 3). Following the display of the promotional product 40, the consumer may collapse the telescopic members 48 and snugly furl the flag portion 50 around the one or more telescopic members 48. The promotional product 40 may then be reinserted into the cavity portion 26 and resealed within the storage compartment 38 by adhering the seal portion 34 to the flange portion 24 for storage purposes.

[0025]In a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, the promotional product 40 is a miniature beverage bottle 54 containing samples of new promotional beverages offered by a beverage manufacturer. By this design, manufacturers may provide existing consumers with samples of new promotional beverages together with the liquid beverages in the beverage bottles 10. It is contemplated that the miniature beverage bottle 54 may contain a wide variety of beverages, including liquor, water and carbonated water, flavored syrup and flavored crystals. A consumer may pour the liquor contents of the miniature beverage bottle 54 into the body portion 12 of the beverage bottle 10 to create a mixed alcoholic beverage. It should be understood by a person skilled in the art of the present invention that a wide variety of liquor beverages may be contained within the miniature beverage bottle 54, including vodka, rum, whiskey and/or rye. It should be further understood that the variety of liquor contained within the miniature beverage bottle 54 may be selected by the beverage manufacturer to complement the liquid beverage contained within the beverage bottle 10.

[0026]In a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cavity portion 26 is dimensioned to receive a pair of promotional eyeglasses 56, such as a pair of 3D-eyeglasses or sunglasses. The promotional eyeglasses 56 are disposed and frictionally retained within the cavity portion 26 and sealed within the storage compartment 38 using the seal portion 34. A consumer purchasing the beverage bottle 10 may remove and wear the 3D-eyeglasses 56 in the manner described above to enhance their viewing enjoyment of a movie at an entertainment venue. For an outdoor sporting or entertainment event, the promotional product may consist of a pair of sunglasses that the consumer of the beverage bottle 10 may utilize to protect their eyes from UVA and UVB light rays during their enjoyment of the outdoor event. While not shown, the promotional eyeglasses 56 may be provided with the logo or trademark of the beverage bottle manufacturer so as to promote its products and services.

[0027]When used in the foregoing manner, the beverage bottle 10 of the present invention may be advantageously utilized as a promotional tool for businesses aiming to provide promotional products to its consumers in a convenient and safe manner. The beverage bottle 10 may also be utilized as a business-to-business advertising tool enabling a liquid beverage business to cross-promote the goods and services of another business by providing advertisements and product samples, for example, within the storage compartment 38 of the beverage bottle 10. In addition to the the various promotional and advertising opportunities that may be pursued using the beverage bottle 10 of the present invention, the beverage bottle 10 may continue to be utilized by a consumer in a conventional manner to quench their thirst and thereby further enhance their enjoyment of the related business, sporting or entertainment event.

[0028]While what has been shown and described herein constitutes a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, it should be understood that various modifications and adaptions of such embodiment can be made without departing from the present invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

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