Compartmentalized beverage container

Abstract

The present invention provides a beverage container having a plurality of compartments so that each compartment may hold a separate beverage or the same beverage, thus providing a consumer to select for consumption the beverage in one of the compartments and preserve the temperature of the beverage in the other compartment for later selection. The compartments may be configured in a vertically separated embodiment or a horizontally separated embodiment. The invention further provides a compartmentalized travel container for prolonged and selective consumption of liquids in order to facilitate heat or cold retention.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A compartmentalized beverage container constructed from insulating material for maintaining the temperature of a portion of a beverage, the container comprising 
 a first compartment adapted for containing a first beverage;    a second compartment adapted for containing a second beverage, the second compartment being effectively sealed from the first compartment by a compartment sealing means;    a lid with an aperture and a lid sealing means; and,    a selection means to provide the ability to select a portion of a beverage from the first beverage in the first compartment and the second beverage in the second compartment, wherein the compartmentalized container is stylized and shaped to fit in an motor vehicle cupholder.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus described in  claim 1 , wherein the selection means comprises a circumferentially placed arm extending from an upper rim of the container downwardly into the container to communicate movement to the selection means, whereby the rotational movement of the arm along the rim selects an open or closed position on the lid.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus described in  claim 2  further comprising wherein the selection means allows the user to selectively and fixably orient a selected aperture towards the mouth of the user by rotating and securing an inner container.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus described in  claim 2 , wherein the arms are selectively extendable.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus described in  claim 1 , wherein the selection means comprises an external lever traveling a circumferential path, the lever opening a partition between the first compartment and second compartment.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus described in  claim 1 , wherein the lid sealing means communicates with the compartment sealing means when the lid is placed on top of the container to form a seal.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus described in  claim 1 , wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are separated by a vertically-oriented divider means and the lid seals each compartment.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus described in  claim 1 , wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are separated by a horizontally-oriented separation means and the lid seals the first compartment.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus described in  claim 8 , wherein the horizontally-oriented separation means has an opening that is manually activated by a consumer to allow the beverage contained in the second compartment to flow into the first compartment.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus described in  claim 6 , wherein the lid sealing means comprises a rubber portion that holds the lid in frictional retention.  
     
     
         11 . The seal in  claim 10 , wherein a circumference of the rubber portion is larger than a circumference of the container and frictionally engages the top of the container.  
     
     
         12 . The compartment in  claim 1 , the lid comprising an internal seal, the first and second compartments forming a vertical divider, wherein the internal seal communicates with the vertical divider when the lid is placed upon the container.  
     
     
         13 . The compartment in  claim 1 , the aperture having a tab with a rubber portion, wherein the rubber portion effectively seals the aperture.