Sports-themed beverage can insulator and holder

Abstract

The invention is directed toward an insulated beverage container manufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themed shapes. The user's hand is inserted into the container and grips a rod which bridges the gap between the sides of the beverage container, thereby preventing the beverage container from being dropped and assisting the user in controlling the handling of the beverage container. The beverage container is designed to be manufactured in the colors of a specific sports team with that team's logo emblazoned on its side.

1 . An insulated beverage container comprising: 
 a holder comprising a piece of insulating foam, rubber, or other suitable insulating and lightweight material, where,    the holder has manufactured into it a can cavity of a diameter approximately that of a standard beverage container, and a depth of approximately one half of the standard beverage container, designed such that a standard beverage can will fit in the can cavity snugly, and yet enough of the top of the beverage can will extend beyond the top of the beverage container such that a user can bring the can to his/her mouth without touching the beverage container with his/her lips and,    where the holder has manufactured into it a hand cavity of sufficient size to accommodate the hand of an average sized adult up to that adult's wrist, and,    where the foam, plastic, or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different colors, and,    where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different shapes, depending on what mold is used, and,    where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be manufactured with a shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container, thereby creating a “finished” look to the beverage container, and    where the shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container is suitable for emblazoning upon it a logo or other advertising symbol or writing, and,    a rod extending from one side of the hand cavity to the other side, said rod being made of plastic, hard foam, wood, metal, or another similarly hard substance, and said rod being attached to both sides of the hand cavity such that a user can grip said rod with his/her fingers to not only retain the beverage container on his/her hand, but also to control movement of the beverage container to facilitate drinking and avoiding spilling the beverage when not drinking it.    
   
   
       2 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , where, the beverage container is manufactured in a realistic or fanciful sports-themed shape.  
   
   
       3 . The beverage container of  claim 2 , where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, kite surfing, and volleyball.  
   
   
       4 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , where, the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team.  
   
   
       5 . The beverage container of  claim 4 , where, the specific colors are from a sports team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.  
   
   
       6 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , where, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.  
   
   
       7 . The beverage container of  claim 6 , where, the logo of a specific team is directed toward a team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.  
   
   
       8 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , where the beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themed shape, and, the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team, and, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.  
   
   
       9 . The beverage container of  claim 8 , where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.  
   
   
       10 . A method of promoting a sports team, comprising, the manufacture of a beverage container for sale or as a give-away to promote the sports team, the beverage container comprising: 
 a holder comprising a piece of insulating foam, rubber, or other suitable insulating and lightweight material, where,    the holder has manufactured into it a can cavity of a diameter approximately that of a standard beverage container, and a depth of approximately one half of the standard beverage container, designed such that a standard beverage can will fit in the can cavity snugly, and yet enough of the top of the beverage can will extend beyond the top of the beverage container such that a user can bring the can to his/her mouth without touching the beverage container with his/her mouth and,    where the holder has manufactured into it a hand cavity of sufficient size to accommodate the hand of an average sized adult up to that adult's wrist, and,    where the foam, plastic, or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different colors, and,    where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different shapes, depending on what mold is used, and,    where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be manufactured with a shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container, thereby creating a “finished” look to the beverage container, and    where the shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container is suitable for emblazoning upon it a logo or other advertising symbol or writing, and,    a rod extending from one side of the hand cavity to the other side, said rod being made of plastic, hard foam, wood, metal, or another similarly hard substance, and said rod being attached to both sides of the hand cavity such that a user can grip said rod with his/her fingers to not only retainer the beverage container on his/her hand, but also to control movement of the beverage container.    
   
   
       11 . The beverage container of  claim 10 , where, the beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themed shape.  
   
   
       12 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.  
   
   
       13 . The beverage container of  claim 10 , where, the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team.  
   
   
       14 . The beverage container of  claim 14 , where, the specific colors are from a sports team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.  
   
   
       15 . The beverage container of  claim 10 , where, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.  
   
   
       16 . The beverage container of  claim 15 , where, the logo of a specific team is directed toward a team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.  
   
   
       17 . The beverage container of  claim 10 , where the beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themed shape, and the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team, and, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.  
   
   
       18 . The beverage container of  claim 17 , where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.