IP Library Granted Patent US 11,524,833
Granted Patent B2
US 11,524,833 · App. 16/561,376 · Granted Dec 13, 2022

Container and method of forming a container

Inventors: John Alan Tolman (Austin, TX); Steve Charles Nichols (Austin, TX); Edward Abante (Austin, TX)
Assignee: YETI Coolers, LLC
B65D81/3869A47J41/0027A47G19/2288A47J41/0072A47J41/02B65D41/0414B65D47/142
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,524,833
App. No.
16/561,376
Granted
Dec 13, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An insulating container can be configured to retain a volume of liquid, and include a canister having a first inner wall having a first end having an opening extending into an internal reservoir, and a second outer wall forming an outer shell. The opening can be sealed by a spout adapter, the spout adapter having a spout channel extending between the internal reservoir and a spout opening, smaller than the opening of the canister. The spout opening may be sealed with a cap having a magnetic top surface, and the spout adapter may be further removably coupled to a lid that may be used as a cup into which a volume of the liquid can be poured.

Claims (44)

1. An insulating container comprising:

a canister comprising:

an inner wall having a first end with a threaded sidewall and an opening extending into an internal reservoir for receiving liquid;

an outer wall forming an outer shell of the canister, the outer wall having a second end configured to support the canister on a surface;

a sealed vacuum cavity forming an insulated double wall structure between the inner wall and the outer wall;

an opening adapter, further comprising:

an external bottom threaded surface configured to removably couple to the threaded sidewall and seal the opening of the canister, the external bottom threaded surface including an upper gasket and a lower gasket to seal the opening of the canister when the opening adapter is removably coupled to the threaded sidewall of the canister;

an external top threaded surface;

a grip ring spaced between the external top threaded surface and the external bottom threaded surface;

an internal threaded surface; and

a top opening extending through the grip ring;

a plug structure configured to insert into the top opening of the opening adapter, the plug structure having a substantially cylindrical top portion and a substantially cylindrical bottom portion, the plug structure further comprising:

an insulated, sealed internal cavity spaced between the substantially cylindrical top portion and the substantially cylindrical bottom portion;

a threaded outer surface configured to removably couple to the internal threaded surface of the opening adapter;

a handle, rigidly coupled to the top portion;

a retention tab, flexibly coupled to a circular base surface of the bottom portion, wherein the retention tab includes a longitudinal surface extending from the circular base surface and a radial surface extending outwardly away from the longitudinal surface; and

an external channel, extending between a channel top edge and a channel bottom edge along the substantially cylindrical bottom portion of the plug structure, wherein the external channel has a non-uniform depth and transitions from a first depth to a second depth, less than the first depth, along a channel transition region parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plug structure; and

a lid, configured to removably couple to the external top threaded surface of the opening adapter.

2. The insulating container of claim 1 , wherein when the threaded outer surface of the plug structure is uncoupled form the internal threaded surface of the opening adapter, the plug structure is partially removable from the opening adapter, wherein the retention tab is configured to limit an extent to which the plug structure is removable from the opening adapter.

3. The insulating container of claim 2 , wherein the retention tab comprises a flexure configured to flex between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, and wherein when the plug structure is partially removed from the opening adapter, the retention tab is in the expanded configuration and prevents the plug structure from being fully removed from the opening adapter.

4. The insulating container of claim 3 , wherein upon application of a manual decoupling force, the retention tab compresses to the compressed configuration, and the plug structure is fully removable from the opening adapter.

5. The insulating container of claim 1 , wherein the retention tab comprises three retention tabs equally spaced around a circumference of the bottom portion plug structure.

6. The insulating container of claim 1 , wherein the external channel comprises three external channels equally spaced around the plug structure.

7. The insulating container of claim 1 , wherein the insulated internal cavity is filled with an insulating foam.

8. The insulating container of claim 1 , wherein the insulated internal cavity includes a vacuum cavity.

9. An opening adapter assembly comprising:

an opening adapter, further comprising:

an external bottom threaded surface configured to removably couple to a threaded sidewall of a canister and seal an opening of the canister, the external bottom threaded surface including an upper gasket and a lower gasket to seal the opening of the canister when the external bottom threaded surface is removably coupled to the threaded sidewall of the canister;

an external top threaded surface;

a grip ring spaced between the external top threaded surface and the external bottom threaded surface;

an internal threaded surface; and

a top opening extending through the grip ring;

a plug structure configured to insert into the top opening of the opening adapter, the plug structure having a substantially cylindrical top portion and a substantially cylindrical bottom portion, the plug structure further comprising:

an insulated, sealed internal cavity spaced between the substantially cylindrical top portion and the substantially cylindrical bottom portion;

a threaded outer surface configured to removably couple to the internal threaded surface of the opening adapter;

a handle, rigidly coupled to the top;

a retention tab, flexibly coupled to a circular base surface of the bottom portion, wherein the retention tab includes a longitudinal surface extending from the circular base surface and a radial surface extending outwardly away from the longitudinal surface; and

an external channel, extending between a channel top edge and a channel bottom edge along the substantially cylindrical bottom portion of the plug structure, wherein the external channel has a non-uniform depth and transitions from a first depth to a second depth, less than the first depth, along a channel transition region parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plug structure.

10. The opening adapter assembly of claim 9 , wherein when the threaded outer surface of the plug structure is uncoupled form the internal threaded surface of the opening adapter, the plug structure is partially removable from the opening adapter, wherein the retention tab is configured to limit an extent to which the plug structure is removable from the opening adapter.

11. The opening adapter assembly of claim 10 , wherein the retention tab comprises a flexure configured to flex between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, and wherein when the plug structure is partially removed from the opening adapter, the retention tab is in the expanded configuration and prevents the plug structure from being fully removed from the opening adapter.

12. The opening adapter assembly of claim 11 , wherein upon application of a manual decoupling force, the retention tab compresses to the compressed configuration, and the plug structure is fully removable from the opening adapter.

13. The opening adapter assembly of claim 9 , wherein the retention tab comprises three retention tabs equally spaced around a circumference of the bottom portion plug structure.

14. The opening adapter assembly of claim 9 , wherein the insulated internal cavity is filled with an insulating foam.

15. The opening adapter assembly of claim 9 , wherein the insulated internal cavity includes a vacuum cavity.

Assignments (2)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: YETI COOLERS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 064074/0808 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: TOLMAN, JOHN ALAN; NICHOLS, STEPHEN CHARLES; ABANTE, EDWARD
To: YETI COOLERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061649/0778 →
Cited By (4)
US 12,227,340 US 12,269,666 US 12,473,137 US 12,589,919