Drinking Cup Attachable to a Beverage Container

Abstract

A drinking cup that is selectably attachable to a beverage container. A generally annular body of the drinking cup has a sidewall, an open end and an opposing closed end. A recessed connector portion is formed in the closed end, the connector portion being sized and shaped to detachably couple the drinking cup to a top portion of the beverage container. The drinking cup is capable of containing at least one of fluids and ice before being attached to the beverage container, while attached to the beverage container, and after being detached from the beverage container.

1 . A drinking cup selectably attachable to a beverage container, comprising:
 a generally annular body having a sidewall, an open end and an opposing closed end; and   a recessed connector portion formed in the closed end, the connector portion being sized and shaped to detachably couple the drinking cup to a top portion of the beverage container,   the drinking cup being capable of containing at least one of fluids and ice before being attached to the beverage container, while attached to the beverage container, and after being detached from the beverage container.   
   
   
       2 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the connector portion is generally annular in shape and includes a rim formed therein, the rim being generally oriented at a predetermined acute angle with respect to a plane surface of the closed end, and wherein the connector further includes a recessed surface oriented generally parallel to the plane surface, the recessed surface and plane surface being spaced apart by the rim. 
   
   
       3 . The drinking cup of  claim 2  wherein the rim is contiguous with the plane surface and the recessed surface. 
   
   
       4 . The drinking cup of  claim 2  wherein the rim further comprises at least one protuberance. 
   
   
       5 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the drinking cup is formed from at least one of plastic, polyethylene, polycarbonate, nylon, corn starch, paper and polystyrene material. 
   
   
       6 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the material thickness of the drinking cup is selected to provide a predetermined gripping force between the connector and the beverage container. 
   
   
       7 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the drinking cup forms at least a partial lid seal for the beverage container when coupled thereto. 
   
   
       8 . The drinking cup of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover configured to selectably close off the open end of the drinking cup. 
   
   
       9 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the drinking cup is sized for a maximum capacity of one of 9, 12, 16, 20 and 24 fluid ounces. 
   
   
       10 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the beverage container is a beverage can. 
   
   
       11 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the beverage container is a bottle. 
   
   
       12 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the closed end comprises a plurality of connector portions. 
   
   
       13 . The drinking cup of  claim 1  wherein the connector portion of the drinking cup provides a snap-fit to the top portion of the beverage container. 
   
   
       14 . A drinking cup selectably attachable to a beverage container, comprising:
 a generally annular body having a sidewall, an open end and an opposing closed end; and   a generally annular recessed connector portion formed in the closed end, the connector portion being sized and shaped to detachably couple the drinking cup to a top portion of the beverage container, the connector portion including a rim formed therein, the rim being generally contiguous with a plane surface of the closed end and oriented at a predetermined acute angle with respect to the plane surface, and wherein the connector further includes a recessed surface contiguous with the rim and oriented generally parallel to the plane surface, the recessed surface and plane surface being spaced apart by the rim,   the drinking cup being capable of containing at least one of fluids and ice before being attached to the beverage container, while attached to the beverage container, and after being detached from the beverage container.   
   
   
       15 . The drinking cup of  claim 14  wherein the rim further comprises at least one protuberance. 
   
   
       16 . The drinking cup of  claim 14  wherein the drinking cup is formed from at least one of plastic, polyethylene, polycarbonate, nylon, corn starch, paper and polystyrene. 
   
   
       17 . The drinking cup of  claim 14  wherein the material thickness of the drinking cup is selected to provide a predetermined gripping force between the connector and the beverage container. 
   
   
       18 . The drinking cup of  claim 14  wherein the drinking cup forms at least a partial lid seal for the beverage container when coupled thereto. 
   
   
       19 . A method for selectably attaching a drinking cup to a beverage container, comprising the steps of:
 forming a generally annular body having a sidewall, an open end and an opposing closed end;   forming a recessed connector portion in the closed end, the connector portion being sized and shaped to detachably couple the drinking cup to a top portion of the beverage container; and   selectably urging the connector portion against the top portion of the beverage container to attach the drinking cup to the beverage container, and urging the connector portion away from the top portion of the beverage container to detach the drinking cup from the beverage container,   the drinking cup being capable of containing at least one of fluids and ice before being attached to the beverage container, while attached to the beverage container, and after being detached from the beverage container.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of forming the connector portion in a generally annular shape with a rim and a recessed surface formed therein, the rim being generally oriented at a predetermined acute angle with respect to a plane surface of the closed end and the recessed surface being oriented generally parallel to the plane surface, the recessed surface and plane surface being spaced apart by the rim. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of selecting at least one of plastic, polyethylene, polycarbonate, nylon, corn starch, paper and polystyrene material for the drinking cup.