Container with thermochromic indicator

Abstract

A beverage container having at least one surface visible to a user of the beverage container and a pattern formed of a thermochromic material that provides information to the user of the beverage container. In an exemplary embodiment, the information provided to the user includes the amount of Calories that will be used by a typical human that drinks the entire quantity of the beverage in the container at its current temperature.

1 . A beverage container comprising:
 at least one surface visible to a user of the container; and   one or more thermochromic materials on the at least one surface visible to the user, wherein the one or more thermochromic materials indicate the approximate number of calories that will be burned by a typical human that drinks the entire contents of the beverage container at its current temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , wherein said beverage container is an aluminum can. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , wherein said beverage container is a cup or mug. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , wherein said beverage container is a bottle. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , wherein said beverage container is a drink pouch. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more thermochromic materials include at least one thermochromic material made using a leuco dye. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more thermochromic materials include at least one thermochromic material made using a liquid crystal material. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage container of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermochromic materials activate at a range of different temperatures. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage container of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more thermochromic materials are arranged vertically on the beverage container such that they activate from bottom to top as the temperature of the beverage container decreases. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage container of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more thermochromic materials are arranged vertically on the beverage container such that they activate from bottom to top as the temperature of the beverage container decreases. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage container of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more thermochromic materials activate at temperatures ranging from room temperature to near freezing.