Apparatus for holding and insulating beverage containers, and related methods

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for holding and insulating beverage containers and for storing personal items. The apparatus generally includes a body for holding beverage containers, and a storage unit coupled to the body for holding personal items. The storage unit includes flaps that are moveable relative to the body between multiple positions, for example, open and closed positions, and include compartments for storing personal items. The body may be configuration to be in an expanded position, in which the body defines a cavity adapted to receive a beverage container, and a collapsed position, in which the body is relatively flat.

1 . An apparatus for holding and insulating a beverage container, the apparatus comprising:
 a body defining a cavity adapted to receive the beverage container into the body and a support configured to retain the beverage container in the cavity, the body comprising insulating material configured to inhibit transfer of heat between the beverage container, when received in the cavity, and an environment surrounding the body; and   a storage unit disposed on the body, the storage unit comprising at least one compartment for holding one or more items in the storage unit;   wherein the body and the support are configurable between a collapsed position in which the cavity is closed, and an expanded position in which the cavity is adapted to receive the beverage container into the body; and   wherein, when in the collapsed position, the body and the support are flat and the support is positioned in the same plane as the body.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage unit further comprises a base coupled to the body. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising an attaching means for coupling the base of the storage unit to the body. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the attaching means includes at least one mechanical fastener. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage unit further comprises a base; and
 wherein the base of the storage unit and the body are monolithically formed as one piece.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage unit further comprises a base and at least one flap, the at least one flap including the at least one compartment of the storage unit, the at least one flap moveable relative to the base between an open configuration in which the at least one compartment is accessible for inserting the one or more items into the at least one compartment or for removing the one or more items from the at least one compartment and a closed configuration in which the at least one flap overlaps the base and inhibits access to the at least one compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one compartment of the storage unit includes at least two compartments, each of the at least two compartments configured to hold one or more items in the storage unit. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least two compartments of the storage unit include a first compartment and a second compartment;
 wherein the first compartment comprises a viewing portion through which one or more items, when held in the first compartment, can be viewed without removing the one or more items from the first compartment; and   wherein at least one of the first compartment and the second compartment includes a fastener for selectively allowing and inhibiting access to the compartment.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the viewing portion of the first compartment comprises one or more of a transparent material and an opening for allowing the one or more items, when held in the first compartment, to be viewed without removing the one or more items from the first compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage unit further comprises a base, the base substantially conforming to a shape of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the base of the storage unit substantially conforms to the shape of the body when the body is in the collapsed position and when the body is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for holding a beverage container, the apparatus comprising:
 a body having a longitudinal axis and defining a cavity adapted to receive the beverage container into the body in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body; and   a storage unit disposed on the body, the storage unit comprising a base and at least one flap, the at least one flap having at least one compartment for holding one or more items in the storage unit, the at least one flap moveable relative to the base in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body;   wherein the body defines a first side portion and a second side portion and includes a support extending between the first side portion and the second side portion for retaining the beverage container in the cavity of the body when the body is in the expanded position;   wherein the body is configurable between a collapsed position in which the first side portion of the body is disposed flat against the second side portion of the body, and an expanded position in which the first side portion of the body is spaced apart from the second side portion of the body to thereby define the cavity adapted to receive the beverage container into the body;   wherein the support includes a first side portion associated with the first side portion of the body and a second side portion associated with the second side portion of the body; and   wherein, when the body is in the collapsed position, the support is folded such that the first side portion of the support is disposed flat against the second side portion of the support.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one flap includes a first flap and a second flap, and wherein the at least one compartment includes a first compartment defined by the first flap for holding one or more items and a second compartment defined by the second flap for holding one or more items;
 wherein the second flap is moveable relative to the base in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body between an open configuration in which the second compartment is accessible for inserting the one or more items into the second compartment or for removing the one or more items from the second compartment and a closed configuration in which the second flap overlaps the base and inhibits access to the second compartment; and   wherein the first flap is moveable relative to the base in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body between an open configuration in which the first compartment is accessible for inserting the one or more items into the first compartment or for removing the one or more items from the first compartment and a closed configuration in which the first flap overlaps the second flap and inhibits access to the first compartment.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a fastener for releasably coupling the first flap to the second flap for holding the first flap and the second flap in the closed configurations. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first compartment comprises a viewing portion through which the one or more items, when held in the first compartment, can be viewed without removing the one or more items from the first compartment; and
 wherein the viewing portion of the first compartment comprises one or more of a transparent material and an opening for allowing the one or more items, when held in the first compartment, to be viewed without removing the one or more items from the first compartment.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the storage unit is disposed on the first side portion of the body; and
 wherein a width dimension of the storage unit is less than or equal to a width dimension of the first side portion of the body, when the body is in the collapsed position.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one flap is moveable relative to the base between an open configuration in which the at least one compartment is accessible for inserting the one or more items into the at least one compartment or for removing the one or more items from the at least one compartment and a closed configuration in which the at least one flap overlaps the base and inhibits access to the at least one compartment; and
 wherein a height dimension of the storage unit, when the at least one flap of the storage unit is in the closed configuration, is less than or equal to a height dimension of the body.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the base of the storage unit is coupled to the body.