The present invention relates to a drinking vessel and in particular to a drinking vessel or glass having multiple chambers that separately holds different fluids.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Drinking vessels typically include a body that defines a cavity into which is poured and stored a liquid. The drinking vessel includes an outer rim over which the liquid flows as the vessel is tipped for drinking. Such vessels have been known for thousands of years.

Typically different liquids are mixed in the one vessel to be drunk at the same time. However at times there may be a need to have a vessel where different liquids are not mixed, as may be the case in medical vessels and novelty drinks.

In relation to novelty drinks, in recent years there has been a marked increase in the popularity of drinks, especially alcoholic drinks, which are poured in a number of layers. The layers, typically of varying colour, have varying densities with the highest density layer at the bottom of the glass and the lowest density layer at the top of the glass. Drinks of this type, known as "Shooters", have become increasingly popular whether in bars, restaurants, or private homes.

Shooters are generally poured by carefully pouring a quantity of the liquid onto the back of a suitable spoon which is placed within a glass closely adjacent the bottom or adjacent the surface of the previous layer with the liquid running from the spoon onto the side of the glass so that it can enter the glass without disturbing the previously poured layer. This technique is one of careful practice and unless carried out by careful and experienced people, the layers may easily mix, especially when the densities of adjacent layers are relatively close. In a commercial establishment pouring shooters is very time and labour consuming even with experienced staff. In a private home environment, whilst the speed of pouring shooters is not as critical, it is still vital that a shooter be poured in a structured layered type arrangement, and those inexperienced in the task will easily mix the layers. Also, when pouring shooters one needs to know the relative densities of the various drinks. Otherwise, drinks poured in an incorrect order, especially where there are multiple drinks in the one shooter will tend to mix. Other difficulties with making shooters according to the current method are that the pourer may pour unequal amounts of drinks into the shooter glass.

There has also recently been an increase in the popularity of ready to drink (RTD) beverages where the user buys a pre-made drink to consume at a later time without having to prepare the drink. Examples of this include canned or bottled beverages that include a spirit mixed together with a fruit juice or other sparkling beverage such as coke. However whilst a consumer may very well wish to drink a shooter combining a mixture of spirits and/or liquors they do not want the individual elements making up the shooter to be pre-mixed but rather to be "mixed" as it is being drunk.

It has been known to provide a glass having an internal vertical wall so as to define two internal chambers to hold two separate fluids. Such a drinking vessel has however been designed to hold the fluids so that they can be drunk separately by using a straw. Further such a vessel or glass includes a lid for if the vessel is tipped without the lid the liquid tends to spill out. Even if one thus wanted to drink from such a glass by tipping the glass, having two separate chambers makes that virtually impossible, the fluid flowing everywhere. Of course if one were to place the whole of the top of the vessel inside ones mouth the spillage would be prevented. However, not only does this limit the size and shape of the glass it is simply not an elegant way of consuming a drink that is meant to be enjoyed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a drinking vessel that overcomes at least some of the aforementioned problems, or provides the public with a useful alternative. It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a drinking vessel having multiple chambers that, when tipped to be drunk, causes separated fluids to not splash but to be guided to a person's mouth.

Whilst drinking vessels have been made of various materials, most of the drinking vessels recently have been made of various glass or plastic materials that posses the inert qualities required for the storage of a liquid especially one for human consumption. From hereupon, although reference will be made to a glass, it is to be understood that this does not intend to limit the material from which the drinking vessel is made, but is rather used as a generic term used to indicate a body that holds a fluid whether it be made from glass, plastic, metal or any other suitable material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed a drinking vessel including: a base having a longitudinal axis and an outer continuous wall extending upwardly from said base around said axis to define a chamber; an internal wall including two side edges sealingly extending within said outer wall and dividing said chamber into two wherein the distance between one side edge and the longitudinal axis is greater than the distance between the other edge and the longitudinal axis.

In preference at least one half of said base is of a generally circular configuration. Typically the base is of a full circular configuration, but there is no reason that at least one half may not be of a semi-elliptical or for that matter any other type of configuration.

Preferably said continuous wall includes a front wall and a rear wall, said front wall defining approximately half of the vessel, the rear wall the other half, the radius of said front wall from said longitudinal axis being constant, the radius of said rear wall adjacent the front wall being smaller than the radius of the rear wall where the internal wall meets the rear wall. That is the rear wall is of a semi-elliptical configuration. In preference the radius of the front wall from the longitudinal axis increases with the height of the vessel outer wall to upwardly diverge.

A drinking vessel as in claim 2 wherein the radius of the rear wall from the longitudinal axis increases with the height of the vessel outer wall to upwardly diverge.

In preference the top of said outer wall gradually increase from the center of the front wall to the real wall.

In preference the top of said outer wall is generally of a constant height across a substantial portion of the rear wall.

In a further form of the invention there is proposed a drinking vessel including: a base having a longitudinal axis and an outer continuous wall extending upwardly from said base around said axis to define a chamber, said outer wall including a front wall and a rear wall; two internal walls sealingly extending within said outer wall from said rear wall to the front wall, the internal walls diverging outwardly from said rear to the front walls so as to divide said chamber into three volumes.

In preference said three volumes are generally the same.

In preference said front wall is of a generally semi-circular configuration.

Preferably said rear wall is generally of a semi-elliptical configuration including a semi-minor and a semi-major axis.

In preference said radius of said front wall is equal to the semi-minor axis of the rear wall.

In preference said drinking vessel further includes a sealing means adapted to isolate the separated chambers within the vessel from each other.

Preferably said vessel includes a lip disposed in the outer wall at a height just above that of the internal wall to support a sealing member. In preference the outer wall of said vessel is stepped outwards to accommodate said lip. Alternatively said outer wall is recessed to define said lip. This ensures that the surface of the outer wall is continuous and smooth. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a two chambered drinking vessel embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is the vessel of Figure 1 when filled with fluid; Figure 3 is a front cross-sectional view of the vessel of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a front view of the vessel of Figure 1 ; Figure 5 is a side view of the vessel of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a rear view of the vessel of Figure 1 ; Figure 7 is a top view of the vessel of Figure 1 ; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a three chambered drinking vessel embodying the present invention; Figure 9 is the vessel of Figure 8 when filled with fluid; Figure 10 is a top view of the vessel of Figure 8; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a three chambered drinking vessel illustrating a further aspect of the invention being a sealable vessel; Figure 12 is a sectional view of the vessel of Figure 11 ; Figure 13 is a sectional view of the vessel of Figure 11 when sealed;

Figure 14 is a sectional view of the vessel as in Figure 16 but in the process of being unsealed; and

Figure 15 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of the vessel embodying the present invention including a step in the outer surface of the vessel wall.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

Referring to Figures 1-7 there is illustrated a vessel or glass 10 including a floor 12 extending upwardly and outwardly from which are front and a rear walls 14 and 16 joined together to define the outer shell or body of the vessel. The floor 12, front wall 14 and rear wall 16 define the glass. Each of the walls typically extends over half of the circumference of the vessel or some 180 degrees. The floor 12 is typically of a circular geometrical configuration although this is not intended to be a limiting feature.

The front wall 14 extends upwardly and diverges outwardly so that its radius adjacent the upper perimeter 20 of the front wad 14 is greater than the radius 22 adjacent its lower end or at the point it is joined to the floor 12 when compared to the longitudinal axis 24 of the vessel, extending through the center of the floor 12.

The rear wall 16 also extends upwardly and outwardly but in a more semi-elliptical fashion so that it has a semi-minor axis 26 and a semi-major axis 28 extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis 24 of the vessel 10. The reader should appreciate that the semi-minor axis 26 is equal to the radius 18 of the front wall 14 so that there is continuity in the outer shape of the vessel, the actual value of the radius of the front wall 14 and the semi- minor axis of the rear wall 16 increasing with height due to the outward divergence of the vessel, this clearly illustrated in Figure 5.

The height of the perimeter 20 of the vessel when compared to the floor 12, or its upper edge, increases from the middle 30 of the front wall 14 in a gradually decreasing manner (as best seen in Figures 4 and 5) to the lip 31 of the rear wall 16, the perimeter 20 being of a constant height across most of the rear wall 16, as seen in Figure 6. This constant height of the lip 31 of the rear wall 16 provides for the drinking edge.

Bisecting the vessel and extending sealingly centrally between the floor 12, front wall 14 and rear wall 16 in the semi-major axis direction 28 is an internal wall 32 dividing the vessel into two chambers 34 and 36. Typically the height of the internal wall is constant from the floor. However, if the maximum height of the rear wall 16 is far greater than that of the front wall 14, the height of the internal wall 32 from the floor 12 may indeed increase towards the rear wall 16. Although this would not have any effect on the total volume of fluid that could be held in the two chambers 34 and 36 it may assist in the flow of the fluid from the two chambers when the vessel is tipped backwards for drinking, the fluid flowing over the lip 31 of the rear wall 16.

The shape of the rear wall 16, being of a stretched circular or elliptical configuration that diverges outwardly, assists in directing the flow of fluid from the two chambers 34 and 36 towards the central part of the rear wall 16 and into a persons mouth when the vessel is tipped backwards for drinking.

Illustrated in Figures 8 to 10 is an alternate configuration of the present invention when the vessel is divided by two internal walls 38 and 40 dividing the vessel into three chambers 42, 44 and 46. Typically, although not mandatory, the shape of the walls and their position in the vessel is chosen so that the three chambers all define the same volume. To further assist in ensuring that the fluid within each chambers flows towards the central part of the rear wall 16, the internal walls 38 and 40 diverge outwardly from the rear wall 16 towards the front wall 14.

The reader should now appreciate that it is not intended to limit the invention to a particular number of internal walls and chambers. Indeed, the vessel may be divided into a plurality of chambers defined by internal walls provided that they are designed to assist in a smooth fluid flow towards the rear wall 16 to eliminate or at the very least minimise any spillage as it is being drunk. The floor 12 may also be of varied shape, that is, it may be of a semi-circular shape on one side and semi-elliptical on the other. The important feature to note is that the rear wall has a non-circular geometry; in this case it has a semi-major axis, so that it acts like a funnel in guiding liquid from the chamber(s) to the person's mouth. Therefore, the front wall may not need to be circular and may comprise of different shapes, whether it be flat, grooved or whatever. The rear wall may also be of a much more acute shape and may indeed not be of an arcuate shape.

Referring now to Figures 11 to 15 there is shown an additional feature that may be used with the present invention and that relates to the production of ready to drink vessels. Here the vessel includes pre-poured drinks held in the separate chambers that then need to be sealed against spilling. To achieve this, the vessel 10 includes an inner lip or shoulder 50 that can be used to support a sealing membrane 52 by pulling on a leaf 54. The seal may be achieved using well-known techniques such as glue seals commonly used on various food products. The membrane also seals against the inner walls to ensure that there is no cross-contamination. This may be achieved using well-known standard techniques.

Although the vessel can me made in various dimensions it is envisaged that for use as a shooter glass the approximate dimensions are as follows:

(a) Diameter of the floor is around 32 mm;

(b) Lowest height of the front wall is around 42 mm;

(c) Height of the rear wall is around 56 mm;

(d) Radius of curvature of front wall and the length of the semi-minor axis is some 22 mm; (e) Length of the semi-major axis is some 27 mm;

(f) Thickness of the walls when there is no lip is some 1.2 mm;

(g) Width of the lip is some 2 mm.

The glass or vessel as illustrated can be made using well known injection moulding processes and using well known food-grade plastic or silica-based materials. When the vessel having the lip is made, obviously the thickness of the walls between the floor and the lip will be greater to ensure that the outside surface of the vessel is of a smooth texture (Figures 11-14). Of course, it may be that the outside wall is stepped outwards and that the absolute thickness of the walls remains a relative constant (Figure 15). Although aesthetically the vessel with a smooth outer wall surface may be preferred, such an embodiment would require the use of more material and would also take a longer time to mould. It is not intended to limit the invention to any one particular such embodiment.

Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprising" is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.