Insulated beverage holder with handle

Abstract

The present invention provides a simple to construct insulated beverage container jacket with a built-in handle or strap. The apparatus may be constructed of foamed urethane or neoprene (or the like) which may be covered with cloth on the outside surface (or both inside and outside surfaces). The apparatus may be formed such that it may be constructed from a single blank of material or from a limited number of pieces of material, in order to reduce the amount of cutting and sewing or gluing necessary to manufacture the item. The handle or strap may be provided as a wide portion of neoprene or foamed polyurethane (or the like) on one or both sides of the apparatus. The width of the handle or strap allows the user to securely hold the apparatus and also allows a logo or design to be displayed on the apparatus. The width of the handle or strap also provides strength to the handle or strap when made of such materials such as 3 mm neoprene or the like.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An insulated beverage holder, comprising: 
 a beverage holder formed from a single sheet of flexible material, the beverage holder comprising: 
 a first rectangular portion formed from the flexible material;  
 a second rectangular portion formed from the flexible material; and  
   a substantially round portion, contiguous with the first rectangular section and the second rectangular section, also formed from the flexible material, the substantially round section located between the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion such that the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion are located at opposite peripheral sides of the substantially round portion,    wherein the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion are attached to one another by an attachment means so as to form a substantially cylindrical shape with the substantially round portion forming an at least partially sealed bottom to the substantially cylindrical shape;    the insulated beverage holder further comprising a strap, attached to at least one of the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion by the attachment means.    
     
     
         2 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of foamed polyurethane and neoprene.  
     
     
         3 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment means comprises at least one of stitching, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesives, and hook-and-loop fasteners.  
     
     
         4 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 1 , wherein the strap comprises a portion of the flexible material, attached with the attachment means to at least one of the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion.  
     
     
         5 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 1 , wherein the strap comprises a portion of the flexible material, contiguous with at least one of the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion, folded over and attached with the attachment means to the at least one of the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion.  
     
     
         6 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 4 , wherein the strap comprises a wide portion being 2.5 inches to 4 inches in width such that a logo may be applied to the strap and that the strap securely holds the beverage holder to a hand.  
     
     
         7 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 5 , wherein the strap comprises a wide portion of being 2.5 inches to 4 inches in width such that a logo may be applied to the strap and that the strap securely holds the beverage holder to a hand.  
     
     
         8 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 1 , wherein the strap is formed from the flexible material  
     
     
         9 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of foamed polyurethane and neoprene.  
     
     
         10 . A method of making an insulated beverage holder, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a beverage holder from a single sheet of flexible material, the step of forming the beverage holder comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first rectangular portion from the flexible material,  
 forming a second rectangular portion from the flexible material,  
   forming a substantially round portion, contiguous with the first rectangular section and the second rectangular section, also formed from the flexible material, the substantially round section located between the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion such that the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion are located at opposite peripheral sides of the substantially round portion,    attaching the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion are to one another so as to form a substantially cylindrical shape with the substantially round portion forming an at least partially sealed bottom to the substantially cylindrical shape, and    attaching a strap to at least one of the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion.    
     
     
         11 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 10 , wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of foamed polyurethane and neoprene.  
     
     
         12 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 10 , wherein the step of attaching comprises the step of at least one of stitching, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesives, and hook-and-loop fasteners.  
     
     
         13 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 10 , wherein the strap comprises a portion of the flexible material, and the step of attaching the strap comprises the step of attaching the strap to at least one of the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion.  
     
     
         14 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 10 , wherein the strap comprises a portion of the flexible material, contiguous with at least one of the first rectangular portion and the second rectangular portion, and the step of attaching the strap comprises the steps of folding the strap over and attaching the strap to the at least one of the first rectangular portion and tile second rectangular portion.  
     
     
         15 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 13 , wherein the strap comprises a wide portion being 2.5 inches to 4 inches in width such that a logo may be applied to the strap and that the strap securely holds the beverage holder to a hand.  
     
     
         16 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 14 , wherein the strap comprises a wide portion of being 2.5 inches to 4 inches in width such that a logo may be applied to the strap and that the strap securely holds the beverage holder to a hand.  
     
     
         17 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 10 , wherein the strap is formed from the flexible material.  
     
     
         18 . The method of making an insulated beverage holder of  claim 17 , wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of foamed polyurethane and neoprene.  
     
     
         19 . An insulated beverage holder, comprising: 
 a beverage holder formed from a flexible material, the beverage holder comprising:    a strap, attached to the beverage holder by an attachment means    wherein the strap comprises a wide portion being 2.5 inches to 4 inches in width such that a logo may be applied to the strap and that the strap securely holds the beverage holder to a hand.    
     
     
         20 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 19 , wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of foamed polyurethane and neoprene.  
     
     
         21 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 19 , wherein the attachment means comprises at least one of stitching, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesives, and hook-and-loop fasteners.  
     
     
         22 . The insulated beverage holder of  claim 19 , wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of foamed polyurethane and neoprene.