Adapters for beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders

Abstract

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of adapters for beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders. In exemplary embodiments, the adapters may be used for adapting beverage container thermal insulators or drink holders that are pre-sized for standard sized 12-ounce cans for use with bottles (e.g., standard sized 12-ounce longneck bottles, etc.) and other can sizes (e.g., “16-ounce tallboy” cans, “12-ounce slim” cans, etc.). In exemplary embodiments, the adapter may be made (e.g., injection molded, etc.) from one or more thermally-insulative materials for covering and thermally insulating the upper portion of a bottle or can that would otherwise extend outwardly above the beverage container thermal insulator or drink holder. By thermally insulating the portion that would otherwise be exposed, the adapter can significantly reduce the rate at which the beverage within the bottle or can will warm up, e.g., when placed in the sun, etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adapter for adapting a 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a beverage container having a height greater than a standard 12-ounce can, the adapter comprising a thermally-insulative material including:
 a lower sidewall portion configured to be press fit over an upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that an interference fit is created between the lower sidewall portion and the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator; and   an upper sidewall portion configured for covering and thermally insulating an upper exposed portion of the beverage container that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the beverage container is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.   
     
     
         2 . The adapter of  claim 1 , further comprising a stop extending circumferentially along an inner surface of the adapter generally between the upper and lower sidewall portions, whereby the stop is operable to inhibit continued downward movement of the adapter onto the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the stop contacts a corresponding portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator. 
     
     
         3 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adapter has a stepped circular cross-sectional profile defined by the upper and lower sidewall portions; and   the upper sidewall portion has a circular cross-sectional profile with an inner diameter less than an inner diameter of a circular cross-sectional profile of the lower sidewall portion such that a step is defined circumferentially along an inner surface of the adapter generally between or at the intersection of the upper and lower sidewall portions.   
     
     
         4 . The adapter of  claim 3 , wherein the adapter consists of a single sidewall made of the thermally-insulative material that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion, the lower sidewall portion, and the step, such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction. 
     
     
         5 . The adapter of  claim 2 , wherein the adapter consists of a single sidewall made of the thermally-insulative material that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion, the lower sidewall portion, and the stop, such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction. 
     
     
         6 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter is configured to be retained to the 12-ounce can thermal insulator via friction created by the interference fit such that the adapter is retrofittable onto the 12-ounce can thermal insulator without requiring any modifications to the 12-ounce can thermal insulator. 
     
     
         7 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter consists of a single sidewall made of the thermally-insulative material that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion and the lower sidewall portion such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction. 
     
     
         8 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally-insulative material comprises one or more of a silicone, an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, a polychloroprene rubber, a blend of chlorinated polyethylene and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, a thermoplastic rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer, a thermoplastic vulcanizate, an ethylene-vinyl acetate, an injection moldable material, and/or a 3D printable or additive manufacturing material. 
     
     
         9 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter consists of an injection molded or 3D printed sidewall that integrally includes the upper sidewall portion and the lower sidewall portion such that the adapter has a single-piece monolithic construction. 
     
     
         10 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adapter is configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a longneck bottle having a standard 12-ounce size that is about 9 inches tall and about 2.4 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the longneck bottle; and   the upper sidewall portion is configured for covering and thermally insulating at least a neck of the longneck bottle that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the longneck bottle is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.   
     
     
         11 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adapter is configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 16-ounce tallboy can that is about 6.2 inches tall and about 2.6 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 16-ounce tallboy can; and   the upper sidewall portion is configured for covering and thermally insulating an upper exposed portion of the 16-ounce tallboy can that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the 16-ounce tallboy can is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.   
     
     
         12 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adapter is configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 12-ounce slim can that is about 6 inches tall and about 2.25 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 12-ounce slim can; and   the upper sidewall portion is configured for overing and thermally insulating an upper exposed portion of the 12-ounce slim can that extends outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the 12-ounce slim can is positioned within the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.   
     
     
         13 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the lower sidewall portion is configured to be press fit over a gasket threaded onto an upper threaded portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that the interference fit is created between an inner surface of the lower sidewall portion and an outer surface of the gasket. 
     
     
         14 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the lower sidewall portion is configured to be press fit over the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when a gasket is not present on the 12-ounce can thermal insulator. 
     
     
         15 . A kit comprising a plurality of adapters of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adapters comprise:
 a first adapter configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a longneck bottle having a standard 12-ounce size that is about 9 inches tall and about 2.4 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the longneck bottle; the upper a second adapter configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 16-ounce tallboy can that is about 6.2 inches tall and about 2.6 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 16-ounce tallboy can; and   a third adapter configured for adapting the 12-ounce can thermal insulator for use with a 12-ounce slim can that is about 6 inches tall and about 2.25 inches in diameter at a widest point of a body of the 12-ounce slim can.   
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein:
 each of the lower sidewall portions of the first and third adapters is configured to be press fit over a gasket threaded onto the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that the interference fit is created between an inner surface of the lower sidewall portion and an outer surface of the gasket; and   the lower sidewall portion of the second adapter is configured to be press fit over the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when the gasket is not present on the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.   
     
     
         17 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adapter is configured for use with a YETI® Colster® stainless steel drink holder; and/or   the adapter is configured for use with a 12-ounce can thermal insulator having an outer diameter of about 3⅛ inches and a height within a range from about 4½ inches to about 4⅞ inches.   
     
     
         18 . A method of using a 12-ounce can thermal insulator with a beverage container having a height greater than a standard 12-ounce can, the method comprising positioning an adapter over an upper exposed portion of the beverage container that is protruding outwardly above the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that:
 a lower sidewall portion of the adapter creates an interference fit with an upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator; and   an upper sidewall portion of the adapter covers and thermally insulates the upper exposed portion of the beverage container;   wherein the upper and lower sidewall portions comprise a thermally-insulative material.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 positioning the beverage container in the 12-ounce can thermal insulator;   positioning a gasket over the upper exposed portion of the beverage container; and   threadedly engaging the gasket with an upper threaded portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator;   wherein positioning the adapter includes press fitting the lower sidewall portion over the gasket that is threaded onto the upper threaded portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator such that the interference fit is created between an inner surface of the lower sidewall portion and an outer surface of the gasket.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein positioning the adapter includes press fitting the lower sidewall portion over the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator when a gasket is not present on the upper portion of the 12-ounce can thermal insulator.