Keys, headphones, water bottles, and music players are often held precariously as runners try to complete their miles. This situation becomes even more difficult in winter, when early morning or evening runs mean that runners often need to carry a torch to illuminate the path ahead of them.
Taking this into consideration, the invention described in a recently-granted patent - GB2554464 - aims to solve this problem for runners.
As shown in the accompanying drawing, the invention relates to a bottle (7) with a handle (9) and a light source (4). LEDs of the light source are positioned on the bottle away from the handle, so that the light source is not obscured by the user’s hand.
As runners often carry water bottles, the combined bottle and light source offers a functional and convenient solution. However, the heart of the invention lies in the kinetically-rechargeable nature of its battery. The innovative battery comprises a magnet, which can slide back and forth through a solenoid. As the user runs while holding the bottle, the repeated shaking motion of the bottle causes the battery to recharge.
While combining a torch and water bottle itself may be useful, the benefits of a battery that charges whilst in use are unparalleled. This rechargeable battery ensures that the runner doesn’t have to worry about charging the bottle prior to the run or replacing the batteries after use. Its unique design also eliminates the possibility that it could run out of charge during the run.
The concept for this dual-purpose bottle also shows that innovation can arise anytime and anywhere in daily life - even during 6am runs in the dark.
From a patent perspective, the inventor has found a solution to a real-world problem – effectively giving a single item, two important functions. By virtue of its patent protection, the rights owner automatically benefits from a 20-year period of exclusivity during which to bring their innovation to market.
