Travel mug, hand-held fluid container, and beverage cup

Abstract

A travel mug is provided having a base, a wall, and a handle. The wall is configured to extend upwardly from the base having a first portion, a second portion, and a thumb-receiving portion provided between the first portion and the second portion. The handle includes a female receptacle extending through the wall from the first portion to the second, opposed portion.

1 . A travel mug, comprising: 
 a base;    a wall extending upwardly from the base having a first portion, a second portion, and a thumb-receiving portion provided between the first portion and the second portion; and    a handle comprising a female receptacle extending through the wall from the first portion to the second, opposed portion.    
   
   
       2 . The travel mug of  claim 1 , wherein the female receptacle comprises a vertically oblong slot extending through opposed portions of the wall.  
   
   
       3 . The travel mug of  claim 2 , wherein the vertically oblong slot comprises a finger-conforming curve in a horizontal plane.  
   
   
       4 . The travel mug of  claim 2 , wherein the slot extends through diametrically opposed portions of the wall.  
   
   
       5 . The travel mug of  claim 1 , wherein the wall and the base cooperate to provide a substantially annular shell defining an open top, a bottom, an inside, and an outside.  
   
   
       6 . The travel mug of  claim 1 , wherein a resilient, frictional grip is provided on an outside of the wall corresponding with the thumb-receiving portion.  
   
   
       7 . The travel mug of  claim 6 , wherein the grip is adhesively affixed onto the outside of the wall.  
   
   
       8 . The travel mug of  claim 6 , wherein the grip is molded to the outside of the wall.  
   
   
       9 . A hand-held fluid container, comprising: 
 a wall having a concave portion configured to retain fluid through coaction of gravitational forces with the fluid; and    a receptacle extending through the wall and into the concave portion and sized to receive at least a portion of a user's hand to retain the container.    
   
   
       10 . The fluid container of  claim 9 , wherein the wall comprises a first portion and a thumb-engaging portion spaced from the first portion, wherein the receptacle is provided in the first portion.  
   
   
       11 . The fluid container of  claim 10 , wherein the wall further comprises a second portion spaced from the first portion with the thumb-engaging portion provided between the first portion and the second portion, and the receptacle is configured to extend through the wall from the first portion to the second portion.  
   
   
       12 . The fluid container of  claim 9 , wherein the receptacle comprises a vertically oblong slot extending into the concave portion of the wall.  
   
   
       13 . The fluid container of  claim 12 , wherein the slot comprises a finger-conforming curve extending along a horizontal plane through the container.  
   
   
       14 . The fluid container of  claim 9 , wherein the receptacle extends through diametrically opposed portions of the wall.  
   
   
       15 . The fluid container of  claim 9 , wherein the wall provides a base.  
   
   
       16 . The fluid container of  claim 9 , wherein the wall provides a substantially annular shell providing an open top, a bottom, an inside and an outside.  
   
   
       17 . A beverage cup, comprising: 
 a rigid outer substantially annular shell defining an open top, a bottom, an inside and an outside, the shell sized to fit a plurality of alternatively sized vehicle cup holders; and    a handle comprising a female aperture extending into the shell.    
   
   
       18 . The beverage cup of  claim 17 , wherein the handle does not extend outwardly of the annular shell.  
   
   
       19 . The beverage cup of  claim 17 , wherein the female aperture extends through the shell from a first portion of the outside to a second portion of the outside spaced from the first portion.  
   
   
       20 . The beverage cup of  claim 19 , wherein the female aperture comprises an oblong slot configured to receive a plurality of fingers on a hand of a user, the slot having a finger-conforming curve within the shell.