1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-chambered beverage container. More specifically, it relates to a shot glass having two chambers separated by a hinged divider. A first beverage can be poured in the bottom chamber, and a second beverage poured into the upper chamber. The beverage container will be appreciated by bar patrons who enjoy drinking a “chaser” beverage after ingesting a shot of hard liquor.
Shots of liquor are commonly consumed by bar patrons who are interested in trying new liquors or consuming a higher proof drink. Hard liquors often have a harsh taste that leaves a burning sensation in the mouth of a user after the beverage is consumed. Some people prefer to have a mild drink (chaser) immediately after downing a shot of hard liquor in order to make the shot more palatable. Drinks such as soda, fruit or vegetable juice, or even water can be used as chasers to quell some of the burning sensation experienced by shot-drinkers. Aside from the possible harsh taste, some hard liquor is mildly caustic to the soft tissues of the human mouth and throat. These liquors should be washed down promptly after a user tastes the drink, to avoid extended exposure to the alcohol.
Drinking a chaser after a shot of hard liquor generally involves the purchase of both the liquor and a full-sized beverage. In this way, the bar generates revenue off both the liquor and the beverage. Heightened costs associated with the purchase of unwanted full-size beverages may deter some bar patrons from purchasing shots of liquor or trying new liquors, for fear that they will not like the taste and will have nothing to wash the liquor down with. A means of providing bar patrons with liquor shots and chasers is needed that is also cost effective to bar owners and managers. The present invention solves this problem by providing a dual-chambered shot glass that can hold both a shot of hard liquor and a shot of chaser beverage, thereby negating the need to dirty two glasses or pay full price for a full-sized chaser beverage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is a dual-chambered beverage container for holding multiple types of drinks at the same time. A bottom chamber and an upper chamber of the beverage container are separated by a hinged flap that remains closed while the container is in an upstanding, vertical position. As a user drinks the first beverage and tilts the container downward, the flap swings open, allowing the second beverage to flow into the user's mouth. The prior art discloses several dual-chambered devices but none of them have a movable divider between chambers of the beverage container.
A dual-chambered beverage container is disclosed by Moran, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0054002. The beverage container is a shot glass having two vertical chambers divided down the middle of the glass interior by a wall. The wall is static and inflexible, separating the beverage container into two distinct interior regions. A first beverage is poured in one chamber and a second beverage is poured in the other chamber. When a user drinks from the beverage container the drinks immediately comingle in the user's mouth. Conversely, the present invention provides two stacked beverage chambers so that the second beverage is not consumed by the user until after the first beverage, i.e. as a chaser.
A similar problem exists with dual-chambered beverage containers that comprise a chamber within a chamber. Checkalski, U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,697 discloses a shot glass having a first chamber defined by the beverage container perimeter. A second chamber is disposed within the first chamber, and comprises a diagonally oriented cylindrical chamber. One beverage is placed within the first chamber and a second beverage is placed within the diagonal second chamber. Because the beverage in the second chamber is tilted at an angle, the user will begin to consume one beverage just prior to consuming the other beverage. This design improves upon the vertical bi-chambered glass of Moran, but does not solve the problem of providing a user with one beverage after the other.
Similarly, Mansfield, U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,812 includes a beverage container having a first chamber within a second chamber. The container is comprised of an outer ring chamber and an inner chamber disposed in the center of the outer ring chamber. The inner chamber is shallower than the outer ring chamber and only holds a small amount of liquid. Like the aforementioned devices, Mansfield does not reduce the mixing of two beverages during consumption by a user.
None of the prior art devices includes two stacked chambers, nor do they disclose a hinged flap divider. The divider of the present invention of invention separates two chambers to prevent mingling of contained beverages. The beverages remain separated until after a user consumes the first beverage. The invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing multi-chambered beverage container devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.