Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Handle – handle component – or handle adjunct – Door handle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-28
2001-02-13
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Handle, handle component, or handle adjunct
Door handle
C016S110100, C016S903000, C040S406000, C040S661120, C312S234000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185785
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to a door handle, and relates more particularly to a fluid-filled, aerated door handle for use with a cooler.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sculpted door handles have been placed on coolers and refrigerators used to house beverages or other items in retail outlets and elsewhere. These sculpted handles add to the aesthetics of the cooler door. The sculpted handles also may increase the exposure of the beverages or other items offered for sale to the passing consumers, i.e., the handle may catch the consumer's eye. For example, it is known to replace a cooler door handle with a handle sculpted in the shape of the well-known contoured bottle of The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Ga. The use of such a sculpted handle serves to draw attention to the cooler and the beverages or other products within the cooler.
One goal in the design of the sculpted handles is to make the handle appear as close as possible to the product it is simulating. In the case of the contoured bottle, the design goal would be to have the handle appear as close as possible to an actual bottle of a carbonated soft drink. To date, this has been accomplished with a metal or a composite door handle manufactured in the shape of the contoured bottle. The handle is then painted partially with a dark color to simulate the carbonated beverage and partially with a light color to simulate the top of the bottle. The trademarks or other types of source indicia of the manufacturer or the distributor are then added to the door handle. Although the handle may appear to be an actual bottle at a distance, a close inspection of the handle may reveal that the handle is a close simulation.
What is needed, therefore, is a door handle or a similar object that attracts the eye of a consumer and also simulates a product to the greatest extent possible. Such a simulation should be realistic and easy to operate, while being relatively inexpensive to provide.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention thus provides a bubbling door handle system for a cooler. The door handle system includes a door handle fixedly attached to the cooler. The door handle has a substantially transparent exterior surrounding an internal chamber. A fluid is positioned within the chamber. An air pump is positioned about the cooler. The air pump is in communication with the chamber so as to introduce air into the fluid. The result is the simulation of an actual beverage positioned within the chamber of the door handle.
Specific embodiments of the present invention include the use of a door handle having a bottle shape. The door handle may be made from a thermoplastic material. The fluid may be an oil solution such as an iso-paraffin oil. The fluid may have coloring therein. An aerator may be positioned within the chamber in communication with the pump so as to provide air bubbles to the fluid. The pump may be diaphragm pump. The pump may have a flow rate of about two liters per minute. The door handle may be fixedly attached to the cooler by a number of mounts or by similar means.
The door handle system may further include a number of air passageways connecting the pump and the chamber. The fluid may partially fill the chamber such that the chamber includes a fluid portion and an air portion. One of the air passageways connects the fluid portion of the chamber and one of the air passageways connects the air portion of the chamber. The air passageways may form an open loop system or a closed loop system with the pump.
A further embodiment of the present invention provides for a cooler with a number of beverages positioned therein. The cooler includes a door with a door handle fixedly attached thereto for movement therewith. The door handle may be made from a substantially transparent material. The door handle may have an internal chamber with a fluid positioned therein. The cooler also may include an air pump. The air pump may be in communication with the fluid in the chamber so as to provide the fluid with the appearance of one of the beverages position within the cooler. The door handle may have a bottle shape. The fluid may have the appearance of a carbonated soft drink or a similar beverage.
A further embodiment of the present invention provides for a bubbling door handle. The door handle may have a semi-transparent chamber for holding liquids and a compressor for the circulation of gas. A liquid may partially fill the chamber. An aerator may be positioned inside the chamber in communication with the compressor so as to release bubbles into the liquid. The door handle also has an intake tube for carrying gas from the compressor to the aerator and a vent for the release of gas from the chamber. The vent may be situated so as to avoid contact with the liquid.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 113233 (1939-02-01), Manning, Jr.
patent: 3024555 (1962-03-01), Abeles
patent: 3314746 (1967-04-01), Millar
patent: 4586280 (1986-05-01), Dane
patent: 5502908 (1996-04-01), Powell et al.
patent: 5771615 (1998-06-01), Welldon et al.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Mah Chuck Y.
The Coca-Cola Company
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