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(11) | EP 3 173 352 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A CONTAINER ACCESSORY AND A SYSTEM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CONTAINER ACCESSORIES |
| (57) A container accessory for a container having walls is provided. The container accessory
(100, 200, 300, 502, 504, 506) comprising an accessory body (102, 202) arranged to
be attached to an opening portion (104, 204) of a container (106, 206) such that an
interface (108, 208) is formed between the container accessory (100, 200, 300, 502,
504, 506) and the opening portion of the container (106, 206), and a light source
(110) arranged to emit light (112), via the interface (108, 208), into the walls (114)
of the container (106, 206). A system (500) comprising a plurality of container accessories
(502, 504, 506) is further provided.
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Field of invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a container accessory for a container having walls and a system comprising a plurality of container accessories.
Technical background
[0002] For successful marketing and building of a brand it is of importance for a company to efficiently differentiate their products from those of their competitors. New and innovative packaging concepts may for example be used to highlight a product being on display or used for instance in a store, a restaurant, or a bar. One proven method of attracting the attention of consumers is the use of light. It is know that light may influence the perception of a consumer. Hence, light may be used to draw attention to and distinguish a product from a plurality of other products. Both the brightness and the contrast of light, i.e. the effect of light and dark areas, are known to be of importance. Although light sources such as light emitting diodes are constantly improving in performance and at the same time are becoming smaller and cheaper most optical lightning solutions for illuminating a product are either too bulky, too expensive or inefficient for displaying a product or to be used in the packaging of the product. To this end, it is also problematic to provide illumination solutions which are mitigating undesired local intensity variations such as bright spots often associated with efficient point like light sources such as light emitting diodes.
Summary of invention
[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient container accessory for illuminating the walls of a container. According to a first aspect this is achieved by providing a container accessory for a container having walls. The container accessory comprises an accessory body arranged to be attached to an opening portion of the container such that an interface is formed between the container accessory and the opening portion of the container, and a light source arranged to emit light, via the interface, into the walls of the container.
[0004] An advantage being that the interface facilitates a light entrance surface trough which light may be guided efficiently into the container walls. An efficient coupling of light into the container is thereby provided and the walls of the container may act as light emitting surfaces. In other words, the light emitted by the light source that is received via the interface into the walls of the container and is transported through the container walls which then may act as light guides. The use of the container walls as light guides to guide the light within the container walls further has the advantage that the light source may not be directly visible from the outside of the container accessory. This circumvents problems related to persons being temporarily blinded or feeling discomfort when looking straight into a light source or images of the light source.
[0005] The container walls may moreover provide improved light distribution of the light emitted by the light source. The container walls may moreover contain brighter and darker regions such that the intensity of light in the container walls may be changed.
[0007] A versatile container accessory is further provided that may be manufactured and assembled independently of the container and may be attached to different containers.
[0008] The container accessory may further provide efficient illumination of the container independently on the content of the container.
[0009] The interface may be arranged at a top surface of the container. The interface may be at the upper end of the container, e.g. a bottle, and light may efficiently be coupled into the container walls, which may also be referred to as the container envelope. The interface provides efficient distribution of light within the walls of the container such that light may be contained within the walls.
[0010] The interface may be arranged at an outer top portion of the walls of the container. An interface having an increased surface area may thereby be achieved. The extent of the interface may be set by the overlap of the container accessory and the container. Light may thereby be efficiently coupled into the container walls via the increased surface area. The upper portion of the container may moreover be treaded which increases the coupling efficiency of light from the light source into the walls of the container, i.e. into the material of the container forming the container walls. The interface provides efficient distribution of light within the walls of the container such that light may be contained within the walls.
[0011] The container accessory may be arranged to surround the opening portion. This arrangement provides efficient sealing of the container.
[0012] The container accessory may further comprise a controller arranged to control the light source. The controller may provide a switch arranged to turn the light source on/off, a tuner arranged to tune the intensity of the light emitted, and a colour adjuster arranged to change colour of light emitted by the light source. A plurality of patterns and sequences of patterns may moreover be provided by changing the light intensity, colour and/or spatial distribution of the light emitted by the light source.
[0013] The container accessory may further comprise a power source. The power source may provide electrical power to electrical components within the container accessory.
[0014] The accessory body may comprise a first engagement portion arranged to provide a removable attachment of the accessory body to the container. The first engagement portion facilitates a removable attachment of the container accessory to the container. The container accessory may be a separate unit which may be removable mounted on a container.
[0015] The accessory body may further comprise an adaptor portion arranged to provide removable attachment of an additional accessory body to the accessory body.
[0016] The adaptor portion may comprise a second engagement portion for efficient engagement of the additional accessory body to the adaptor.
[0017] The container accessory may comprise a through hole arranged for dispensing the contents of the container through the container accessory.
[0022] The container accessory may further comprise a transceiver arranged to communicate within a communication network. Data in digital form may for instance be transmitted to or from the container accessory.
[0023] According to a second aspect a system comprising a plurality of container accessories according to the above may be provided. At least two container accessories within the communication network are arranged to directly communicate with each other. Data in digital form may for thereby be efficiently transmitted in between the least two container accessories.
[0024] The above mentioned features of the container accessory, when applicable, apply to this second aspect as well. In order to avoid undue repetition, reference is made to the above.
[0025] A further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given below. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
[0026] Hence, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular component parts of the device described or steps of the methods described as such device and method may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claim, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a unit" or "the unit" may include several devices, and the like. Furthermore, the words "comprising", "including", "containing" and similar wordings does not exclude other elements or steps.
Brief description of drawings
[0027] The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to appended drawings showing embodiments of the invention. The figures should not be considered limiting the invention to the specific embodiment; instead they are used for explaining and understanding the invention.
[0028] As illustrated in the figures, the sizes of layers and regions are exaggerated for illustrative purposes and, thus, are provided to illustrate the general structures of embodiments of the present invention. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a container accessory.
Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of another container accessory.
Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a container accessory within a communication network.
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of another system comprising a plurality of container accessories.
Detailed description
[0029] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and fully convey the scope of the invention to the skilled person. Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled person will realise that different features of the present invention may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Features of one aspect may be relevant to anyone of the other aspects; references to these features are hereby made.
[0030] Figure 1 illustrates a container accessory 100 comprising an accessory body 102 which is attached to an opening portion 104 of a container 106. An interface 108 is formed between the container accessory 100 and the opening portion 104 of the container 106. The interface 108 is arranged at a top surface 107 of the container 106.
[0031] The container accessory 100 further comprises a plurality of light sources 110 arranged to emit light 112, via the interface 108 into the walls 114 of the container 106.
[0032] According to one embodiment, the light sources 110 may be in direct contact with the top surface 107 such that the top surface 107 and the light sources from the interface 108. This reduces the amount of light that may be reflected at the interface 108. A more effective transfer of light from the light sources 110 into the container walls 114 may thereby be obtained.
[0033] According to another embodiment, the light sources 110 may be arranged in a polymer ring surrounding the opening portion 104 of the container 106. The polymer may be transparent or translucent to the light of the light sources 110. The polymer ring may be in contact with the top surface 107 of the container 106 such the polymer ring and the top surface 107 forms the interface 108 between the container accessory 100 and the opening portion 104 of the container 106.
[0034] To this end, an outer portion of the light sources 110 may have a refractive index matching the refractive index of the container 106.
[0035] A transparent refractive index matching material such as glue may further be used in between the light source 110 and the top surface 107. The refractive index matching material may be arranged on the light sources 110.
[0036] A gap may according to some embodiments, however, be present in between the light sources 110 and the container 106 separating the two a distance. In other words, the interface 108 may comprise a gap. Air or liquid may at least partly fill the gap.
[0037] The light sources 110 are arranged to efficiently emit light 112 into the walls 114 of the container 106. The light sources 110 may further be arranged to emit light 112 into the walls 114 of the container 106 such that total internal reflection, TIR, is provided within the container walls 114, i.e. in the material forming the walls 114 of the container 106. Light distributed by TIR may efficiently propagate within the container walls 114. Hence, a larger portion of light 112 may be transported within the container walls 114.
[0038] TIR should be construed as an optical effect that occur when a ray of light reaches a boundary between a first and a second medium at an angle larger than a critical angle, with respect to the normal of the boundary surface. For TIR to occur it is needed that the refractive index of the first medium is larger than the refractive index of the second material, i.e. in order for the light ray to be totally reflected at the boundary such that no light propagate beyond the boundary and all light is substantially reflected at the boundary.
[0039] To this end, the light sources 110 may emit light 112 with an angle to the interface 108 formed between the container 106 and the container accessory body 102 such that the light entering the walls 114 of the container 106 may reach the surfaces of the container walls 114 with angles predominately greater than the critical angle for the respective container walls 114. Efficient light reflection by TIR may thereby be obtained. The skilled person in the art realizes that the critical angle depends for example of the refractive index of the material of the container walls 114 and the medium surrounding the container walls 114.
[0040] A light source 110 may alternatively be arranged to have out coupling surface that is at an angle to the top surface 107 such that the light emitted by the light source110 that enter via the interface 108 reach the surface of a wall 114 of the container 106 with an angle which is predominately greater than the critical angle of the respective container walls 114.
[0041] The light sources 110 may be different or of the same type. Hence the light sources 110 may emit light of the same colour or different colours. The light sources 110 may further emit light at the same time or at different times. The light sources 110 may emit light in a sequence.
[0042] A power source 116 and a controller 118 may further provided within the container accessory 100. The power source 116 and/or the controller may be arranged within the accessory body 102.
[0043] The light sources 110 may be controlled and/or synchronised by the controller 118. The controller 118 may further comprise a colour adjuster arranged to change the colour of light emitted by a light source 110. The controller 118 may further comprise a switch arranged to turn the light source on/off. The controller 118 may further comprise a tuner arranged to tune the intensity of the light emitted. A plurality of patterns and/or sequences of patterns may therefore be provided by changing the light intensity, colour and/or spatial distribution of the light emitted by the light sources 110.
[0044] The power source 116 may be selected from the group consisting of a cell, battery, rechargeable cell, rechargeable battery, solar cell, and capacitor.
[0045] The power source 116 is preferably arranged in a recess in the container body 102 and may be concealed with a lid.
[0046] The power source 116 may be connected to the light source 110 with a conducting wire or by wireless transmission. The wireless transmission may utilize standard near field communication techniques known to the skilled person in the art.
[0047] The container accessory 100 may comprises a connector which is in electrical connection with the power source 116. The power source 116 may thereby be charged or recharged by connecting the connector to an external power source.
[0049] The power source 116 may alternatively comprise a wireless power receiver, wherein the power receiver may receive power delivered by an external wireless power transmitter.
[0050] The container 106 is illustrated as a bottle. It should, however, be noted that the container may have any shape. The container may for instance be a jar or a cup.
[0052] The container may alternatively be a bottle comprising a liquid such as a distilled beverage, for instance vodka, wine, port wine or beer.
[0053] The walls of the container may preferably comprise at least an opening portion which is transparent or translucent such that light may be efficiently coupled into the walls of the container. The walls of the container may be of a transparent or translucent material.
[0054] Translucent is to be understood as "permitting the passage of light" and a translucent material may either be clear, i.e. transparent, or transmitting and diffusing light so that objects beyond cannot be seen clearly.
[0056] The container may therefore comprise a portion that is clear, in other words transparent to light, and/or a portion that is transmitting and diffusing light such that objects within the container cannot be seen clearly from outside the container.
[0058] Again referring to figure 1, the accessory body 102 further comprises a first engagement portion 120 arranged to provide a removable attachment of the accessory body 102 to the container 106. The container accessory 100 may thereby be a separate unit which may be removable mounted on a container 106.
[0059] The accessory body 102 further comprises an adaptor portion 122 arranged to provide removable attachment of an additional accessory body (not shown) to the accessory body 102. A "double - cork" arrangement may thereby be provided. The additional accessory body may for example be a doseur or an electronic device for example comprising light/sound emitter/ receiver.
[0060] The additional accessory body may for example comprise a photo sensor arranged such that the light sources 110 are controlled via the controller 118 to emit light when the environment is dark. The visibility of container is thereby improved when it is dark.
[0061] The additional accessory body may comprise a temperature sensor such that the additional accessory body may make an alarm signal for a given temperature value. The sensors described above may in other embodiments be integrated into the accessory body 102.
[0062] The adaptor portion 122 may comprise a second engagement portion 124 for efficient engagement of the additional accessory body to the adaptor portion 122. The second engagement portion 124 may comprise a set of treads as illustrated in figure 1.
[0063] The container accessory 100 comprises a through hole 125 which is arranged for dispensing the contents of the container 106 through the container accessory 100. Similarly, the adapter portion 122 may comprise a through hole 125. Contents of the container 106 may thereby be brought in contact with the additional accessory body and may further be dispended through the additional accessory body.
[0064] As discussed above, the accessory body 102 may comprise a sensor. The sensor may for example be selected from the group consisting of motion sensors, accelerometers, and thermal sensors. Hence, a change in the environment of the container accessory may be sensed by the sensor. A certain temperature or a change in temperature of the environment may, for example, cause a signal from a temperature sensor to be sent to the controller 118 whereby the controller 118 may to provide an indication or alarm by for instance emitting light with a given colour or pattern. The indication or alarm may for example comprise emission of pulsed red light from the light sources 110.
[0065] The location and/or orientation of the accessory body may further be sensed by the sensor. The sensor may provide a signal to the controller 118 causing the light sources to emit light with a given colour and or pattern when the container for example is lifted. The colour and or the pattern may further change depending on the location and/or the orientation of the container 106.
[0066] A tilt sensor may for example be used for causing the light sources 110 to emit light when the container is titled to pour out its contents. The skilled person in the art realizes that other sensors may be used such as an optical sensor for detecting an amount of ambient light. The optical sensor may via the controller 118 vary the intensity of light emitted by the light sources 110 depending on the amount of ambient light.
[0067] Figure 2 illustrates a container accessory 200 comprising an accessory body 202 which is attached to an opening portion 204 of a container 206.
[0068] An interface 208 is formed between the container accessory 200 and the opening portion 204 of the container 206. The container accessory 200 is arranged to surround the opening portion 204 of the container 206. This arrangement provides efficient sealing of the container 206. In other words, the container accessory 200 forms a cap sealing of the opening portion 204 of the container 206 such that contents of the container 206 may be maintained in the container 206.
[0069] The interface 208 is arranged at an outer top portion 210 of the walls 114 of the container 206. The interface 208 may thereby have an increased surface area. Light 112 may be efficiently coupled into the container walls 114 via the increased surface area.
[0070] The outer top portion 210 of the container 206 comprises a set of treads 212 which may increase the coupling efficiency of light from the light sources 110 into the walls 114 of the container 206.
[0071] The interface 208 provides efficient distribution of light within the walls 114 of the container such that light 112 may be contained within the walls 114.
[0072] A first engagement portion 220 of the container accessory 200 comprises a set of threads 222 arranged on the inside the accessory body 202. The set of threads 222 matches the corresponding set of treads 212 of the container 206. A removable attachment of the accessory body 202 to the container 206 may thereby be provided. Hence, a removable container accessory 200 may be provided.
[0073] It should be noted that the first engagement portion may alternatively be arranged to be fitted within the container like a stopper or cork. Hence, the first engagement may not contain any sets of treads. The first engagement portion may, for instance, be shaped like a wine cork for regular wine bottle which does not comprise a screw cap. In other words, the container accessory may be removably attached to the container by friction forces formed between by the first engagement portion and the walls of the container.
[0074] The first engagement portion may be arranged to grasp around a protruding element of the opening portion of the container, e.g. grasp around the topmost protruding element of a bottle such as a wine bottle.
[0075] Figure 3 illustrates a container accessory 300 according to any of the embodiments above. The container accessory 300 further comprises a transceiver 302 arranged to communicate within a communication network 304. The transceiver 302 may use electromagnetic fields to send or receive data from the container accessory 300 within the communication network 304.
[0076] The communication network 304 may be a local area network, a LAN, an internet, or a telecommunication network. The communication within the communication network 304 may be via wireless use of electromagnetic fields. Hence, data may be transferred in the communication network 304 by standard protocols for transmitting digital data in a telecommunication network, wireless local area network, WLAN, or by for instance Bluetooth technology.
[0077] The container accessory 300 may further comprise a data processor 306 and a memory 308. The data processor 306 may for example be arranged to process data obtained via the communication network 304. The obtained data may be stored in the memory 308. The obtained data may comprise information regarding how to, via the controller 118, control light sources 110 of the of the container accessory 300.
[0078] The light sources 110 may be different or of the same type. Hence the light sources 110 may be controlled to emit light at the same time or at different times. The light sources 110 may further emit light with different colours at the same time or in a sequence. In other words, the light sources 110 may be controlled and/or synchronised by the controller 118.
[0079] The obtained data may comprise image data where the images may, by use of the light sources 110, be displayed in or on the walls of a container.
[0080] The data may comprise instructions to the controller 118, the data providing for example a plurality of patterns and sequences of patterns which may be formed in the container walls 114 by providing a given intensity, colour and/or spatial distribution of the light emitted by the light sources 110.
[0081] The communication network 304 may comprise a cloud service 310. This is advantageous as the demands of the controller 118, the data processor 306 and/or the memory 308 of the container accessory 300 may be reduced. The cloud service 310 may be made available to a consumer of a container on which the container accessory 300 is arranged or a container of the same type. The consumer may thereby on demand via for example a cloud service on the Internet gain information from a cloud computing provider pertaining to the container and/or the contents of the container. The cloud services 310 may thereby provide easy, scalable access to applications, resources and services managed by the cloud services provider.
[0082] Data from the container accessory 300 may further be sent to or from an external device such as a computer 400 via the communication network 304. The data may comprise information obtained by a sensor of the accessory body as described above. Hence, a remote device may be made aware of the status or a change of status of a parameter sensed by a sensor of the container accessory.
[0083] Data for controlling the light sources 100 may further be downloaded to the container accessory 300 from the cloud service 310 via the communication network 304.
[0084] The communication network may further comprise a plurality of container accessories each comprising a transceiver. Data in digital form may thereby be transmitted to or from the individual container accessories via the communication network.
[0085] Figure 4 illustrates a system 500 comprising a plurality of container accessories 502, 504, 506 according to any of the embodiments described above. The container accessories 502, 504, 506 are arranged on separate containers. Each of the accessory containers 502, 504, 506 are arranged to directly communicate with at least another one of the accessory containers 502, 504, 506 within a communication network 508. Data in digital form may thereby be efficiently transmitted directly between the container accessories 502, 504, 506. Information pertaining to the number of containers within the communication network 508 may for example be transmitted in between the container accessories 502, 504, 506. An efficient counting of the number of containers may thereby be provided. One or a plurality of container accessories 502, 504, 506 may moreover provide an alarm signal as a response to the value of the number of containers within the communication being equal to or smaller than a given number.
[0086] The container accessories 502, 504, 506 may, based on the data transmitted in between them, synchronise the emission of light. A more effective distribution of light over a larger area may thereby be provided.
[0087] The plurality of container accessories 502, 504, 506 may for a common communication channel through which information may be conveyed without the need of an external communication network such as the internet.
[0088] The container accessories 502, 504, 506 may be arranged in the vicinity of each other in space. The term vicinity should be understood as close by or nearby such that two container accessories being located in the vicinity of each other may efficiently communicate via interacting electromagnetic fields. In other words, the two objects may communicate via transmission of data via electromagnetic fields. The communication may be via wireless use of electromagnetic fields to transfer data such as in radiofrequency identification technologies where the distance between the objects corresponds to the wavelength of the electromagnetic fields used or multiples thereof. The communication may further be via short-range wireless communication utilizing electromagnetic near-fields such that the distance between the objects is sub-wavelength.
[0089] The person skilled in the art further realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
[0090] For example, the light source may be a solid state light source, preferably a light emitting diode, LED. Semiconductor based LEDs are among the most efficient light sources available today. LEDs provide longer lifetime, higher photon flux efficacy, lower operating voltage, and flexibility in terms of assembly compared to conventional light sources. Given their favourable energy efficiency and long lifespan luminaries comprising one or a plurality of LED based light sources have reduced energy consumption and the light source further needs to be replaced less frequently when using conventional light sources such as incandescent light sources.
1. A container accessory for a container having walls, the container accessory (100,
200, 300, 502, 504, 506) comprising:
an accessory body (102, 202) arranged to be attached to an opening portion (104, 204) of a container (106, 206) such that an interface (108, 208) is formed between the container accessory (100, 200, 300, 502, 504, 506) and the opening portion of the container (106, 206), and
a light source (110) arranged to emit light (112), via the interface (108, 208), into the walls (114) of the container (106, 206).
2. The container accessory according to claim 1, wherein the interface (108) is arranged
at a top surface (107) of the container (106).
3. The container accessory according to claim 1, wherein the interface (208) is arranged
at an outer top portion (210) of the walls (114) of the container (206).
4. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 3, wherein the container
accessory (100, 200) is arranged to surround the opening portion (104, 204).
5. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 4, wherein the container
accessory (100, 200, 300, 502, 504, 506) further comprises a controller (118) arranged
to control the light source (110).
6. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 5, wherein the container
accessory (100, 200, 300, 502, 504, 506) further comprises a power source (116).
7. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 6, wherein the accessory
body (102, 202) comprises a first engagement portion (120, 220) arranged to provide
a removable attachment of the accessory body (100, 200) to the container (106, 206).
8. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 7, wherein the accessory
body further comprises an adaptor portion (122) arranged to provide removable attachment
of an additional accessory body to the accessory body (102).
9. The container accessory according to claim 8, wherein the adaptor portion (122) comprises
a second engagement portion (124).
10. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 9, wherein the container
accessory comprises a through hole (125).
11. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 10, wherein the container
(102, 202) is a bottle.
12. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 11, wherein the accessory
body (102, 202) is a bottle cap.
13. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 12, wherein the accessory
body is of plastic.
14. The container accessory according to any one of the claims 1 - 13, wherein the container
accessory further comprises a transceiver (302) arranged to communicate within a communication
network (304).
15. A system (500) comprising a plurality of container accessories (502, 504, 506) according
to claim 14, wherein at least two container accessories within the communication network
(508) are arranged to directly communicate with each other.