[1] The invention primarily relates to a universal shade, for use with beverage containers, for example, and in particular to a foldable and easily portable universal shade.

Background of the invention

[2] Throughout the summer months, people living in the United Kingdom enjoy outdoor pursuits in sunny weather. Such activities are best enjoyed when followed by (or replaced with) a refreshing drink in a pleasant outdoor environment. Many preferred drinks are served chilled and are most enjoyable while they remain below ambient temperature. Difficulties arise, when a drink is exposed to direct sunlight as its temperature will instantly start to gradually rise above the level ideal for drinking. This will result in the reduced enjoyment of the drink, compromised taste and diminish the whole experience.

[3] Other parts of the world which are not in the United Kingdom can experience longer periods of sunshine, and higher ambient outdoor temperatures. The problems associated with drink warming may be even more keenly felt in these locations, along with shading mobile phones, ice creams, cold deserts and many more.

[4] Many solutions have been proposed and adopted to reduce this problem. One of the more popular solutions is to provide a shade for one’s drink. These shades come in many shapes and sizes and are often decorative as well as functional.

[5] GB2475726 discloses an L-shaped shade for a beer glass. It has a simple folded structure, with two planar sections, a first section providing a base and a second section providing shade. It may be made from paper, card or wood pulp. No further information is given, for example about additional folding or portability. [6] ES1109832Y discloses a shade for a drink having three parts: a base, a side wall and a roof. The base is circular or polyhedral (for example, octagonal), and the side walls are shaped to fit around a portion of the base. The roof is domed or polyhedral. It may optionally be made of paper and be used for advertising. It does not appear to be easily dismantled or especially portable and has a relatively complex structure.

[7] EP2253252 discloses a shade for a drink which is foldable into a stowable configuration the size of a 10cm x 10cm standard drinks coaster. This product is not suitable for storage in the credit card slot of a wallet or a purse. It is optionally made from paper or card. It has a complex structure with a number of folds and tabs and is therefore difficult to assemble.

[8] DE29710606U1 discloses a two part foldable drink shade. It requires the use of several tabs and the interconnection of two parts, making it fiddly to construct. It does not fold up so as to be insertable into a wallet.

[9] DE202013002153 discloses a single piece foldable drink shade, optionally made from cardboard or plastic. It has a base and a side wall, and folds together from a single and relatively simple net. It is not foldable so as to be inserted into a wallet. It does not have a base of adjustable radius or curvature.

[10] DE20116226U1 discloses a similar single piece foldable drink shade. It is not foldable so as to be inserted into a wallet. It does not have a base of adjustable radius or curvature.

[11] GB2456829 discloses a shade for a drinks receptacle, preferably made from resilient plastics material, but optionally made of paper. It comprises a base and a curved side wall. It would be complex to manufacture and have limited portability.

[12] DE20205582 discloses a cardboard net which is foldable to provide a base and a side wall for shading a drink. The side wall is not tapered for precision folding, nor is the fold double scored. The connection tabs for the base portions are very complex.

[13] DE202014003279 discloses a net for a foldable drinks shade having a base, a side wall and a roof. The side wall does not taper, nor is the central fold double scored, and so the shade will not be suitable for folding to fit into a credit card slot in a wallet.

[14] DE20104055 discloses a multi-part net for a foldable drinks shade. The pieces fit together in various optional configurations, making assembly complicated. It does not fold so as to be suitable to insert into a wallet.

[15] DE10200150 discloses a net for a foldable drinks shade having a base, a pair of adjacent side walls and a roof. The side walls do not taper, nor is the central fold double scored, and so the shade will not be suitable for folding to fit into a credit card slot in a wallet.

[16] It is an object of the invention to provide a foldable shade for a drinking receptacle. It is a further object to make the foldable shade easily portable, suitable for folding neatly and storing in the credit card slot of a wallet or a purse. It is a still further object to make the foldable shade easy to manufacture and easy to assemble.

Statement of invention

[17] A first aspect of the invention provides a net for a foldable beverage shade according to claim 1.

[18] A second aspect of the invention provides a foldable beverage shade according to claim 7.

[19] Accordingly, the invention provides a net for a foldable beverage shade comprising: a base section having a width; and a shade section having a length and a width; wherein: the base section is separated from the shade section by a first width-wise fold line; the shade section has a parallel pair of substantially central, length-wise fold lines separated by a separation width, and a single, central, second width-wise fold line; the base section comprises two width-wise base sections, separated by a gap of the separation width; each of the width-wise sections has a respective first side edge defining opposite respective sides of the gap, and a respective second side edge adjacent and substantially perpendicular to the first side edge, defined by a portion of the first width- wise fold line; and each of the width-wise sections further comprises a respective arcuate slit extending from the first side edge and subtending 45 degrees about the point at which the first and second side edges meet.

[20] The length-wise portion of the shade section on the opposite side of the first width-wise fold line to the base section may have tapering width such that it is narrower farther from the first width-wise fold line.

[21] The base section may be substantially semi-circular, and the two width-wise base sections may be substantially quadrant shaped.

[22] The net may be made from any one of: paper, cardboard, plastics, metal, leather, organic sustainable materials.

[23] Each of the two rectangular sections of the shade section separated by the separation width may have substantially the same size and shape as a credit card.

[24] The fold lines may be positioned such that, in a compact folded state, the net is rectangular and has a length and width substantially the same as a credit card.

Brief description of drawings

[25] The invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings:

[26] Figure 1 depicts an exemplary net of the foldable drinks shade of the invention. [27] Figure 2 depicts a method of deploying a foldable drinks shade of the invention.

[28] Figure 3 depicts a series of exemplary uses of the foldable drinks shade of the invention.

Detailed description of drawings

[29] Figure 1 depicts a net suitable for making a foldable drinks shade of the invention. Generally, the depicted embodiment comprises a shade section 1 and a base section 2. The shade section 1 is hexagonal, and the base section 2 comprises two quarter circles or quadrants 3, 4 disposed adjacently so as to effectively form a semi-circle with a small gap 5 between its two halves 3, 4.

[30] The shade section 1 and the base section 2 are made of a single piece of material, separated by a fold 6. The drinks shade may be made of a number of suitable materials, and the nature of the folds will depend on the material. For example, the shade may be made of paper, in which case a simple, pre-made fold will suffice. The shade may be made of card, in which case either a pre -made fold will be suitable, or scoring may be necessary, depending on the thickness of the card. The shade may alternatively be made of a thin layer of plastics material, in which case scoring or moulded recesses may be necessary to provide the folds. Other options, including leather, metal, and sustainable organic materials, will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

[31] The shade section 1 has three folds 7, 8, 9. The first of these folds 7 is horizontal according to an in-use orientation, across the whole width of the shade section 1 between two opposing corners of the hexagon, substantially half-way along the length or (in use) height of the shade section 1.

[32] The second of these folds 8 is vertical, running the length or height of the shade section, from the corner subtended by the first quarter circle 3 of the base section 2 to a point close to the centre of the top edge of the shade section 1. [33] The third of these folds 9 is also vertical, running the length or height of the shade section, from the corner subtended by the second quarter circle 4 of the base section 2 to a point close to the centre of the top edge of the shade section 1. Folds 8 and 9 run parallel.

[34] It will be appreciated that the hexagonal shape of the shade section 1 provides an almost rectangular shade which, when in a folded configuration, has a neatly rectangular shape. In other words, the tapering width of the shade section 1 from the fold 7 to the top edge, which makes the shade section hexagonal rather than rectangular, prevents the side edges of the upper, tapering section of the shade section 1 from sticking out when the drink shade is in the folded configuration.

[35] It will also be appreciated that the ‘double fold’ provided by folds 8 and 9 enables much neater and more precise folding when arranging the shade in the folded configuration. This is especially important when thicker material such as card or plastic is used to make the shade, since the double fold accommodates the thickness of the material when folded.

[36] Each of the quadrants 3, 4 has an arcuate slit 10, 11. The arcuate slits 10, 11 extend from the mutually opposing side edges of the quarter circles 3, 4. The slits 10, 11 run substantially parallel with the rounded edges of their respective quarter circles 3, 4. They each subtend 45 degrees. In use, when assembling the shade into a shading configuration, the two slits slidingly engage to hold the two base sections 3, 4 together.

[37] In a particularly preferred embodiment:

• The length of the net is 225 mm;

• The width of the net is 110 mm;

• The length of the shade section is 170 mm; • The length of the top half of the shade section, from the top edge to the central fold 7, is 85 mm;

• The width between the two central length-wise folds 8 and 9 is 2 mm; and

• The width of the top edge of the base section, due to the taper, is 105 mm.

It will be appreciated that the gradient of the taper and the width between the two length-wise folds will vary according to the material used. The goal of these features is to provide a folded configuration which is rectangular and has length and width substantially the same as a credit card.

[38] Figure 2 depicts a process of deploying or assembling a shade of the invention from the folded configuration to the shading configuration. As can be seen, when in the folded configuration, the shade is preferably substantially the same size and shape as a standard credit card, and can therefore be carried in a wallet or purse for convenience. When removed from a wallet, the shade is unfolded, as shown. The base is then assembled by sliding the base sections 3, 4 together using the slits 10, 11.

[39] Figure 3 depicts the shade in use, providing much needed protection from the effects of direct exposure to the sun, for various popular drinks in receptacles of different shapes

[40] One advantage of the invention is the possibilities it provides for advertising and marketing. Printing directly onto the net is possible with this invention, meaning that a brand or advertising campaign can be displayed on tables in beer gardens around the world, as well as in many other contexts.

[41] Although the invention has been primarily described in relation to the shading of drinking receptacles, it will be clear that the invention can equally be used to shade other small objects, such as mobile phones, ice creams, and other cold desserts. [42] The invention has been described above with reference to a preferred embodiment. The described embodiment is not limiting. The scope of the invention is limited by the claims.