Beverage container with threaded plastic drinking sleeve

Abstract

A molded plastic drinking sleeve for push-on assembly to a neck portion of a container according to a typical embodiment includes an annular body formed by an annular sidewall having a uniform taper from a first open end to an opposite second open end, the annular sidewall defining an open interior. The annular sidewall further includes a series of external threads and a roller abutment at the base of the threads for stopping the roller equipment used to help fabricate a metal closing cap that is designed to thread onto the plastic drinking sleeve. The annular sidewall further includes an inner surface formed with at least one raised, inwardly-extending projection constructed and arranged to contact the neck portion with an interference fit.

1 . A plastic drinking sleeve for push-on assembly to a neck portion of a beverage container, said plastic drinking sleeve comprising: 
 an annular body formed by an annular sidewall defining an open interior, said annular sidewall having an open first end and opposite to said first end an open second end and including a series of external threads, said annular sidewall further including an inner surface formed with at least one raised, inwardly-extending projection constructed and arranged to contact said neck portion with an interference fit when said plastic drinking sleeve is assembled onto said neck portion.    
   
   
       2 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 1  wherein said inner surface is outwardly diverging from said first end to said second end.  
   
   
       3 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 2  wherein said outwardly diverging inner surface is tapered at approximately 1½ degrees.  
   
   
       4 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 2  wherein said series of external treads are constructed and arranged to sealingly receive a threaded closing cap when said plastic drinking sleeve is assembled onto said neck portion.  
   
   
       5 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 4  wherein said series of external threads are constructed and arranged to begin with a scaled-down thread size and wherein said annular body is constructed and arranged to expand due to assembly onto said neck portion, said expanding causes said scaled-down thread size to expand to the requisite size to sealingly receive said threaded closing cap.  
   
   
       6 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 5  wherein said annular body includes a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.  
   
   
       7 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 1  wherein said series of external threads are constructed and arranged to sealingly receive a threaded closing cap when said plastic drinking sleeve is assembled onto said neck portion.  
   
   
       8 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 7  wherein said series of external threads are constructed and arranged to begin with a scaled-down thread size and wherein said annular body is constructed and arranged to expand due to assembly onto said neck portion, said expanding causes said scaled-down thread size to expand to the requisite size to sealingly receive said threaded closing cap.  
   
   
       9 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 8  wherein said annular body includes a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.  
   
   
       10 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 1  wherein said annular body includes a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.  
   
   
       11 . A plastic drinking sleeve for push-on assembly to a neck portion of a beverage container, said plastic drinking sleeve comprising: 
 an annular body formed by an annular sidewall defining an open interior, said annular sidewall having an open first end and opposite to said first end an open second end and including a series of external threads, said annular sidewall further including an inner surface constructed and arranged with an outwardly diverging shape extending from said first end to said second end.    
   
   
       12 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 11  wherein said series of external threads are constructed and arranged to sealingly receive a treaded closing cap when said plastic drinking sleeve is assembled onto said neck portion.  
   
   
       13 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 12  wherein said series of external threads are constructed and arranged to begin with a scaled-down thread size and wherein said annular body is constructed and arranged to expand due to assembly onto said neck portion, said expanding causes said scaled-down thread size to expand to the requisite size to scalingly receive said threaded closing cap.  
   
   
       14 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 13  wherein said annular body includes a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.  
   
   
       15 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 11  wherein said annular body includes a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.  
   
   
       16 . A plastic drinking sleeve for push-on assembly to a neck portion of a beverage container, said plastic drinking sleeve comprising: 
 an annular body formed by an annular sidewall defining an open interior, said annular sidewall having an open first end and opposite to said first end an open second end and including a series of external threads, said annular sidewall further including an inner surface, said series of external threads being constructed and arranged to sealingly receive a threaded closing cap when said plastic drinking spout is assembled onto said neck portion, said series of external throws being constructed and arranged to begin with a scaled-down tread size and wherein said annular body is constructed and arranged to expand due to assembly onto said neck portion, said expanding causing said scaled-down thread size to expand to the requisite size to sealingly receive said threaded closing cap.    
   
   
       17 . The plastic drinking sleeve of  claim 16  wherein said annular body includes a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.  
   
   
       18 . A plastic drinking sleeve for push-on assembly to a neck portion of a beverage container, said plastic drinking sleeve comprising: 
 an annular body formed by an annular sidewall defining an open interior, said annular sidewall having an open first end and opposite to said first end an open second end and including a series of external threads, said annular sidewall further including an inner surface, said annular body including a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.    
   
   
       19 . In combination: 
 a beverage container including a neck portion;    a plastic drinking sleeve for push-on assembly to said neck portion, said plastic drinking sleeve comprising:    an annular body formed by an annular sidewall defining an open interior, said annular sidewall having an open first end and opposite to said first end an open second end and including a series of external threads, said annular sidewall further including an inner surface formed with at least one raised, inwardly-extending projection constructed and arranged to contact said neck portion with an interference fit when said plastic drinking sleeve is assembled onto said neck portion; and    a closing cap constructed and arranged to sealingly thread onto said series of external threads with said plastic drinking sleeve pushed onto said neck portion.    
   
   
       20 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said inner surface is outwardly diverging from said first end to said second end.  
   
   
       21 . The combination of  claim 20  wherein said outwardly diverging inner surface is tapered at approximately 1½ degrees.  
   
   
       22 . The combination of  claim 21  wherein said annular body includes a roller abutment stop integrally formed at the base of said series of external threads.  
   
   
       23 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said plastic drinking sleeve having a first thread major diameter dimension and a first thread minor diameter dimension prior to assembly to said neck portion and a second thread major diameter dimension and a second thread minor diameter dimension after push-on assembly of said plastic drinking sleeve to said neck portion, said second dimensions being larger than said corresponding first dimensions due to expansion of said annular body resulting from an interference fit between said plastic drinking sleeve and said neck portion when said plastic drinking sleeve is assembled onto said neck portion.