Beverage container with self-regulating thermal control member

Abstract

A beverage container provided with a thermal regulation member having a sidewall extending through a beverage cavity of a container main body. The thermal regulation member contains an energy storage material that receives, stores, and transmits heat energy to and from a beverage in the beverage cavity to regulate its temperature. The energy storage material may initially absorb energy from a heated beverage having a temperature too hot for drinking, then transfers heat energy back into the beverage as it cools, keeping it within a comfortable temperature range for an extended period of time. The thermal regulation member may be selectively attachable to a stopper assembly that seals an upper opening of the beverage cavity. Alternatively, laterally extending attachment members may attach the thermal regulation member directly to a wall of the beverage cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A beverage container assembly comprising:
 a stopper assembly including:
 a sealing member defining an upper portion of the stopper assembly; and 
 an elongated thermal regulation member having a sidewall extending downwardly from the sealing member and terminating at a first end, the thermal regulation member having a cavity containing an energy storage material; 
   a beverage container including:
 a stopper receptacle sized and shaped to sealingly receive the sealing member and removably attach the stopper assembly to the beverage container; and 
 a beverage cavity extending downwardly from the stopper receptacle and in fluid communication with the stopper receptacle when the sealing member is removed from the stopper receptacle; and 
   the thermal regulation member being positioned within the beverage cavity when the sealing member is received within the stopper receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal regulation member has a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the energy storage material is a phase change material. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the phase change material is a solid phase in a first temperature range with an upper temperature of no greater than 170° F., and the phase change material is in a liquid phase in a second temperature range with a lower temperature of no less than 170° F. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal regulation member is selectively removable from and attachable to the sealing member. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal regulation member includes an assembly attachment portion on a second end opposite to the first end, and the sealing member includes a regulation member attachment portion configured to releasably engage with the assembly attachment portion. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the assembly attachment portion and the regulation member attachment portion are complementary threaded portions. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 6 , wherein one of the assembly attachment portion and the regulation member attachment portion is a recessed portion sized and shaped to receive therein an other of the assembly attachment portion and the regulation member attachment portion. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the assembly attachment portion is narrower than a main body of the thermal regulation member extending downwardly below the assembly attachment portion. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the thermal regulation member is adjacent to a bottom of the beverage cavity when the sealing member is received within the stopper receptacle. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 1 , the beverage container further comprising a flange portion positioned above the beverage cavity, and the sealing member is configured to sealingly abut the flange portion when the sealing member is received within the stopper receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the thermal regulation member has a sidewall extending entirely below the flange portion and terminating at the first end adjacent to a bottom of the beverage cavity. 
     
     
         13 . A beverage container assembly comprising:
 a sealing member;   a beverage container including:
 an upper end portion sized and shaped to sealingly engage the sealing member and removably secure the sealing member to the beverage container, 
 a first attachment portion; and 
 a beverage cavity extending downwardly from the upper end portion; and 
   an elongated thermal regulation member including a second attachment portion configured to engage with the first attachment portion of the beverage container to attach the thermal regulation member to the beverage container, the thermal regulation member extending downwardly from the second attachment portion within the beverage cavity and terminating at a first end when the second attachment portion is engaged with the first attachment portion, the thermal regulation member having a sealed cavity containing an energy storage material.   
     
     
         14 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first attachment portion is configured for selective disengagement from the first attachment portion. 
     
     
         15 . A beverage container assembly comprising:
 a container main body including a beverage cavity, the beverage cavity terminating at a bottom cavity surface, the container main body having a first attachment portion; and   a thermal regulation assembly configured to be inserted into the container main body, the thermal regulation assembly including:
 a second attachment portion configured to engage with the first attachment portion to selectively secure the thermal regulation assembly to the container main body; and 
 a thermal regulation member supported by the second attachment portion, the thermal regulation member having an elongated sealed cavity containing a phase change material, the thermal regulation member extending downwardly within the beverage cavity when the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are engaged. 
   
     
     
         16 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the container main body has an upper portion with an upper open end, and the beverage container assembly further comprising:
 a lid configured for selective attachment to and removal from an upper portion of the container main body, the lid closing the upper open end when attached to the upper portion of the container main body.   
     
     
         17 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the container main body includes a removable lid and the first attachment portion comprises a portion of the lid. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first attachment portion is disposed on an upper portion of the beverage container assembly and the thermal regulation member extends downwardly therefrom into the beverage cavity when the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are engaged. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the container main body includes a lid and the first attachment portion comprises a portion of the lid to directly secure the thermal regulation assembly to the lid, and the thermal regulation member extends downwardly from the lid into the beverage cavity when the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are engaged. 
     
     
         20 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the beverage cavity has a sidewall and the first attachment portion comprises a portion of the sidewall. 
     
     
         21 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the second attachment portion includes one or more attachment members, each projecting beyond the thermal regulation member, and the first attachment portion is configured to receive the one or more attachment members to secure the thermal regulation member to the container main body. 
     
     
         22 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more attachment members are flexible support members. 
     
     
         23 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 21 , wherein each of the one or more attachment members taper toward an attachment member outer end. 
     
     
         24 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the first attachment portion includes one or more receptacles, each configured to receive at least one of the one or more attachment members to attach the thermal regulation member to the container main body. 
     
     
         25 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more attachment members are configured to frictionally engage the first attachment portion to secure the thermal regulation member to the beverage container assembly by friction fit. 
     
     
         26 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first attachment portion is a first threaded portion of the container main body, and the second attachment portion is a second threaded portion of the thermal regulation member configured to threadably engage with the first threaded portion. 
     
     
         27 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the thermal regulation assembly further includes an upwardly projecting handle. 
     
     
         28 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the container main body has a lower end portion and the first attachment portion is disposed on the lower end portion, and wherein the thermal regulation member extends upwardly from the lower end portion through the beverage cavity when the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are engaged. 
     
     
         29 . The beverage container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first attachment portion is disposed on a lower end portion of the beverage cavity, and the thermal regulation member extends upwardly from the lower end portion of the beverage cavity when the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are engaged. 
     
     
         30 . A thermal regulation member comprising:
 an elongated body extending from an attachment portion at a first end and terminating at a second end, the elongated body having a cavity containing an energy storage material.   
     
     
         31 . The thermal regulation member of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 a sealing member having a cylindrical body with a second attachment portion at a lower end portion, the second attachment portion being attached to the attachment portion of the elongated body, the cylindrical body of the sealing member having a greater diameter than a width of the elongated body.   
     
     
         32 . The thermal regulation member of  claim 31 , wherein the cylindrical body of the sealing member has an internal insulation cavity between the lower end portion and an upper end portion opposite the lower end portion. 
     
     
         33 . The thermal regulation member of  claim 31 , wherein the cylindrical body of the sealing member has a threaded portion at least partially extending around a circumference thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The thermal regulation member of  claim 30 , wherein the attachment portion includes one or more attachment members, each projecting laterally beyond the elongated body. 
     
     
         35 . The thermal regulation member of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more attachment members are flexible support members. 
     
     
         36 . The thermal regulation member of  claim 34 , wherein each of the one or more attachment members taper toward an attachment member outer end.