Drinking vessel with ice cube retainers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art drinking vessels with separate ice retaining apparatuses attached near the rim impede comfortable drinking by allowing ice cubes to potentially enter the mouth, as they obstruct the rim.
Innovation Solution
A drinking vessel with permanently attached, inwardly extending protrusions spaced from the top rim that allow liquid to pass while blocking ice cubes from exiting, ensuring ice retention within the vessel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate ice retaining apparatus is attached near the top rim of the drinking vessel, then ice cubes can be blocked from exiting, but the apparatus impedes the user's ability to place their mouth along the rim to drink liquids comfortably
Solution Approach 1:
The ice retention function is segmented into multiple discrete protrusions rather than a single continuous barrier. These protrusions are distributed around the interior circumference of the vessel, creating individual blocking points that collectively prevent ice cube exit while maintaining open drinking space at the rim.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the ice retention mechanism from the rim dimension (where it would block the user's mouth) to an interior dimension spaced from the rim. The protrusions extend inwardly from a position spaced from the top rim, creating a three-dimensional retention zone that preserves the rim area for comfortable drinking.
2Reliability
If an ice retaining apparatus is attached to the drinking vessel, then ice cubes can be retained, but the apparatus needs to be attached on or close to the rim which obstructs the drinking opening
Solution Approach 1:
The retention function is divided into multiple protrusions spaced around the vessel interior, each contributing to ice cube blocking while collectively preserving the drinking opening area. The segmented approach allows liquid flow between protrusions while preventing ice cube passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention mechanism is positioned in the vertical dimension spaced from the rim, rather than occupying the horizontal rim area. This dimensional relocation preserves the drinking opening area at the rim while maintaining effective ice cube retention through the inwardly extending protrusions.
3Reliability
If protrusions are placed close to the rim to block ice cubes, then ice retention is effective, but liquid flow and user access to the rim are obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions are segmented and spaced apart rather than forming a continuous barrier. This segmentation allows liquid to flow between the protrusions while ice cubes, being larger and more rigid, are blocked by the protrusions themselves. The spaced arrangement maintains liquid flow pathways while preserving ice retention functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A drinking vessel that includes a plurality of spaced protrusions permanently attached to and extending inwardly from a position spaced from the top rim of the drinking vessel and that are adapted to allow liquids to pass thereby and out of the interior volume of the drinking vessel and at the same time block ice cubes from passing thereby and out of the interior volume, such that a user can drink the liquid without having ice cubes enter their mouth as well.