EP0073195B1 - A preformed disposable insert for fitting in a holder - Google Patents

A preformed disposable insert for fitting in a holder Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0073195B1
EP0073195B1 EP81903062A EP81903062A EP0073195B1 EP 0073195 B1 EP0073195 B1 EP 0073195B1 EP 81903062 A EP81903062 A EP 81903062A EP 81903062 A EP81903062 A EP 81903062A EP 0073195 B1 EP0073195 B1 EP 0073195B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
insert
holder
upper portion
projecting means
collar
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP81903062A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0073195A1 (en
Inventor
Hans Ivar Wallsten
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0073195A1 publication Critical patent/EP0073195A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0073195B1 publication Critical patent/EP0073195B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G19/00—Table service
    • A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
    • A47G19/2205—Drinking glasses or vessels
    • A47G19/2255—Details related to the connection between the liquid containing part and the supporting part
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G23/00—Other table equipment
    • A47G23/02—Glass or bottle holders
    • A47G23/0208—Glass or bottle holders for drinking-glasses, plastic cups, or the like
    • A47G23/0216—Glass or bottle holders for drinking-glasses, plastic cups, or the like for one glass or cup
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G19/00—Table service
    • A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
    • A47G19/23—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service of stackable type

Definitions

  • the present invention is a preformed disposable insert for fitting in a holder having bottom and sidewall portions defining a space for receiving the insert, the insert having an upper portion which is relatively stiff compared with the remainder of the insert and having a downwardly extending collar, the collar being connected with the upper portion by an upper rim that, in use, is arranged above the upper portion of the holder.
  • Cups having disposable inserts used, for example for drinks are known in a number of different forms.
  • the known inserts are constructed of a stiff material, usually plastic and most often polystyrene, of a constant material thickness. Examples of such inserts are disclosed in Swedisch patents Nos. 224.840 and 302.254.
  • the holder In another known construction, described in Swedish patent No. 337.455, the holder has a substantially rigid shell and an insert is pushed down into the shell.
  • the insert is formed with a downwardly extending external collar, which together with the insert wall, defines an annular V-groove that receives the upper edge of the shell.
  • the insert is suspended from the inner edge of the shell and hangs freely down from the V-groove into the interior of the shell.
  • One of the disadvantages of this known insert is that its V-groove suspension over the shell upper edge causes it to be tightly encircled so that it is difficult to remove.
  • an insert has retaining lips in the relatively thick base section of the insert for the purpose of locating the insert in a shell.
  • the insert base is then pressed tightly into the container base.
  • the prior art inserts tend to be relatively thick so as to be stiff, and are relatively expensive in material and manufacturing costs.
  • the present invention is an improved disposable insert and a holder therefor, which are suitable for mass production, which provide appreciable savings in material and manufacturing costs, which are hygienic to use, and which cooperate to form a sturdy drinking cup or other type of container.
  • a disposable one piece insert in accordance with the invention is provided near its upper end with- circumferentially disposed, laterally projecting means positioned to bear against the adjacent wall of the holder and arranged fixedly to locate the insert within the holder against both vertical upward and horizontal movements, the insert is releasably retained against removal from the holder solely by said projecting means, and the wall thickness of the insert gradually decreases from the upper portion towards the bottom which is adapted to rest on the bottom of the holder.
  • the diameter of the insert projecting means differs slightly from the diameter of the holder sidewall in the corresponding abutment surface in order to create a radial surface pressure which produces, in turn, axial retention.
  • a projecting means also acts as an abutment for stacking a plurality of inserts, and extends continuously around the top part of the insert on the stiff upper sidewall.
  • the annular projection is adapted to cooperate with an annular recess formed in the sidewall of the holder.
  • the insert projection and holder sidewall so formed have cooperating engagement surfaces to provide axial retention of the insert.
  • the top part of the holder sidewall has a continuous, annular recess adapted to receive the projection on the insert.
  • the recess is formed on the inside of the holder sidewall.
  • the annular recess on the holder has an upper diameter D 1 that increases toward a maximum diameter D 2 , in the deepest portion of the recess, and a substantially horizontal lower shoulder having an inside diameter D 3 , the diameter D 3 being smaller than the diameter 0 1 ,
  • the insert can be pressed down into the holder and will just fit through the holder sidewall having the diameter 0 1 into the recess. Once in the recess, the projection fits snugly in the portion having diameter O2, but is prevented from being pushed further into the holder by the shoulder portion containing the relatively small diameter D 3 , which is too small for the projection to be pushed through.
  • a cup 1 has a substantially rigid cup-shaped container or holder 2, of substantially circular cross-section.
  • the holder 2 has a substantially vertical sidewall 3 and a bottom 4 containing a central aperture 5.
  • An annular bottom flange 6 acts as the base for the holder 2.
  • a disposable, thin walled insert 7 is disposed inside the cup-shaped holder 2.
  • the insert 7 has a substantially vertical sidewall 8 joined to a bottom wall 9.
  • the sidewall 8 of the insert 7 is relatively thin walled in the vicinity of the bottom wall 9, and increases in thickness towards a rounded upper edge 10.
  • the stiff upper portion of the sidewall 8 is joined via the rounded edge 10 to a stiff, substantially vertically downwardly extending collar 11.
  • the angle between the sidewall 8 and the collar 11 is generally between 12° and 24°, and preferably between 16° and 20°.
  • the insert 7 is made in one piece, for example by hot-forming as disclosed in Swedish Patent No. 77 08 234-5 to have the stiff upper portion 12 (which includes both the collar 11 and the stiff upper portion of the sidewall 8 of the insert).
  • the sidewall 8 of the insert becomes increasingly thinner toward the bottom wall 9, and thus has a material thickness much less than the upper portion 12 of the insert.
  • the holder 2 and insert 7 form a unit which can serve as a cup or beaker, for example for hot drinks.
  • the collar 11 acts as a protection against direct contact with the holder wall 3 itself In this way, the insert 7 after use can be thrown away and a new insert 7 fitted into the holder 2 without it being necessary to wash the holder.
  • the stiff upper portion 12 of the insert is also formed with a continuous annular projecting means 13 extending toward the holder wall 3 near the upper edge of the holder.
  • the projecting means 13 is formed on the upper portion of the insert sidewall 8 to engage the inside of the holder sidewall 3 so that the insert 7 is laterally located in the upper portion of the holder 2.
  • the projecting means 13 positions the insert bottom wall 9 to abut the holder bottom wall.
  • the holder 2' is formed with a continuous recess 15' in the upper portion of the holder that extends from the holder top edge 14 to a shoulder adapted to receive the projection 13a on the insert.
  • the distance between the projection 13a and the upper edge 10 of the insert 7a is larger than the distance between the shoulder of the recess 15' and the upper edge 14 of the holder 2'.
  • Fig. 3 discloses a modified form of the Fig. 2 embodiment.
  • the insert 7b contains a projection 13b, and the distance between the projection 13b and the upper edge 10 of the insert is larger than the distance between the shoulder of recess 15' and the upper edge 14 of the holder wall 3'.
  • the upper edge 10 of the insert 7b is spaced a distance from the top edge 14 of the holder wall 3' so that the collar 11 is disposed over, but does not overlie (as in Fig. 2), the top edge 14 of the holder.
  • the collar 11 and upper edge 10 nevertheless protect the user from unwanted contact of the holder since the collar 11 is disposed a sufficiently large distance outwardly (in a radial direction) from the top edge 14 of the holder.
  • the inserts may be stacked together and the projection 13b used as a stacking abutment. This facilitates the removal of one insert at a time from the pack without jamming so that, as illustrated in Fig. 11, one insert at a time may be attached to a holder without need to manipulate the entire stack.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates another construction of a holder 2" in which the sidewall of the holder 2" has a substantially V-shaped annular recess 15" extending around the top portion of the holder 2".
  • the holder 2" immediately above the actual recess 15" the holder 2" has an inside sidewall diameter D i , which is somewhat smaller than the diameter D 2 corresponding to the maximum depth of the recess 15".
  • D i the diameter of the diameters D 2 and 0 1 to cooperate with a projection 13 on the disposable insert 7
  • the projection 13 passes resiliently over the top part of recess 15" and into the recess 15" itself.
  • the projection 13 is somewhat resilient, the insert 7 remains in its position of engagement in the recess 15" subject to relatively weak radial forces.
  • the insert can be removed readily by pulling out of its located position in the holder 2" using the fingers. The resilience of the projection 13 is thus readily overcome so that the insert 7 can be removed and another inserted in its place.
  • the projection 13 of the insert 7 engages the wall surface at diameter 0 1 and enters into the gradually sloped groove 15".
  • the diameter change of the recess 15" occurs gradually to facilitate insertion and removal.
  • the bottom portion of the groove 15" is in the form of a shoulder having a bearing surface 16.
  • the shoulder has an inside diameter D3which is smaller than the diameter 01, Due both to the factthatthe bearing surface 16 is substantially horizontal, and the fact that the shoulder diameter D 3 is relatively small, the insert cannot be pressed down past the required position of retention, i.e. where projection 13 is resting on bearing surface 16.
  • a hot-formed insert 7, with the above described stiff upper portion and thin walled sidewalls and bottom walls, has the property that, when filled with liquid, it is self supporting and will retain its shape even without the holder.
  • the weight of the liquid in the insert presses on the thin sidewalls and bottom wall to support the stiff upper portion from the bottom and prevent the insert from collapsing. Consequently, it is unnecessary for the disposable insert to be so constructed that its upper edge 10 rests on the upper edge 14 of the holder 2, i.e. so that the thin walled portions are hung from the edge 14.
  • the insert retaining function of the projection is achieved without a cooperating groove or recess 15 in the holder 2.
  • the diameter of the insert 7d at the surface of the projection 13d, which abuts the holder 2, is slightly larger than the holder diameter at the corresponding abutment surface.
  • the radial surface pressure thus produced between the projection 13d and the container wall produces the required axial retention force for the insert 7d.
  • the collar 11 can be disposed to engage the holder sidewall when located by the projection 13, as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the projection 13d in the Fig. 6 embodiment, is provided on the stiff upper wall portion of the insert 7d and thus cooperates with the inside of the holder sidewall.
  • the projection may be provided on the downwardly extending collar 11 of the insert to engage the outside of the holder wall.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates a modification of the insert 7b shown in Fig. 3.
  • the Fig. 7 insert 7e may be used on a holder 2 of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 6 such that the retaining action is achieved without using any internal recess or groove in the holder 2.
  • an outwardly projecting shoulder 17 is provided in the upper stiff wall portion of the insert 7e above the projection 13e in such a way that the insert rests on the upper edge 14 of the container.
  • This variation has the advantage that for a certain stated volume the holder 3 can be made considerably lower than the other embodiments according to the invention. This is important from material point of view, and thus economically, but also considering the fact that the lower holders require considerably less space when stacked.
  • the insert 7g is provided with an annular projection 13g on the stiff upper portion of the insert sidewall, which cooperates with a groove 15' v on the inside sidewall of a holder 2'". In this embodiment, neither the upper portion of the insert 7g nor the collar 11 engages the upper portion of the holder 2' v .
  • the inserts 7h, 7f are provided with two annular projections 13h, 13h', 13f, 13f' the upper of which are intended to cooperate with a groove 15" on the inside wall of a holder 2" as shown in Fig. 10.
  • the inserts are stacked one inside the other the upper projection 13h abuts the upper edge of the insert below.
  • This embodiment of the insert can also be used in combination with a modified holder 2vl as shown with dotted lines in Fig. 9.
  • one of the annular projections is used for stacking and the other is used for engagement with a groove or shoulder adjacent the upper edge of the insert.
  • a plurality of inserts 7 are stacked one inside the other.
  • the retaining effect produced in accordance with the invention between the holder 2 and the insert 7 facilitates the fitting of an insert into a holder and removal from the stack.
  • inserts For handling, storage and shipping purposes, such inserts are distributed in a pack in which a plurality of inserts are nested one inside the other.
  • Known inserts may at times be difficult to remove from such packs because the collars of adjacent inserts wedge one inside the other.
  • the difficulty in separating the stacked inserts requires that they be handled to be pulled apart, such that the collar portions readily become dirtied when the insert is actually fitted in the holder. This is particularly unhygienic since these parts subsequently come into direct contact with the mouth.
  • the inserts do not become packed so tightly as to produce a wedge effect between consecutive inserts in the stack, since the projections 13-13h act as stacking abutments.
  • a holder may be inverted and pressed lightly down over the top insert 7 in the inverted stack, and the insert will engage the holder for removal.
  • the top insert in the stack is thus lifted freely in its position of retention in the holder while the remaining inserts in the stack remain undisturbed without the need to grab hold of and secure the remaining inserts.
  • the method of securing the insert to the holder by force is important when the inserts are placed in a holder. It is thus possible to tip the holder with the insert or turn it upside down without the insert falling out. However, normally no securing effect is required when the drink has been consumed, for instance coffee. It has now proved possible to neutralize the securing effect in a simple way when using inserts and holders for hot drinks. If the plastic material utilized is equipped with such qualities that it shrinks after being reheated to e.g.
  • the diameter of the projection 13 can be reduced when the material shrinks after having been heated by the hot drink, so that the securing effect is neutralized.
  • a suitable material to achieve this effect is for example cold stretched polypropylene. Also other plastic materials with similar qualities are of course possible to use.
  • a disposable insert in accordance with the invention can be made from a plastic material with an initial thickness of 0,12 mm.
  • An insert of this kind suitable for a coffee cup holder has a total weight of approximately 1,0 g.
  • Corresponding inserts for the same liquid volume capacity, which are made conventionally with a constant thickness material of polystyrene, have a weight of approximately 4,2 g.
  • the inserts proposed according to the invention can readily be stacked one inside the other and also readily separated from the stack despite the fact that they have very thin bottom and lower sidewalls. Since the top part of the insert bears against the projection provided according to the invention, and its thin base bears against the container bottom, a stable and heat-resistant drinking container is produced with a very lightweight and thin walled disposable insert.
  • the insert had a weight of 1,0 g and was made from a polypropylene film having an initial thickness of 0,12 mm.
  • the disposable insert had a volume of 2,0 dl.
  • an insert of the same shape and volume was manufactured of polypropylene with an initial thickness of 0,25 mm.
  • the thin bottom had a thickness of 0,06 mm and the weight of the insert was 1,5 g.
  • Figure 12 shows a sectional view of the wall material disposition of an insert manufactured in accordance with the invention.
  • the sectional area through a portion of an equal insert, corresponding for example to the insert in Fig. 8, is marked with dotted lines in Fig. 12.
  • the lateral scale has been enlarged so that the differences in wall thickness will appear clearly.
  • a traditionally shaped insert would, if it had the same wall thickness all over, have the inner, dotted outline according to Fig. 12.
  • Theoretical calculations show that for the described cup-shaped products the weight difference depending on difference in material disposition would mean that an insert according to the invention would have about half the weight of an insert with a uniform wall thickness.
  • the weight difference is even greater. This depends on the fact that it is impossible to achieve a uniform wall thickness by traditional vacuum forming. In order to distribute the material as evenly as possible, the material is first mechanically formed in the mould with a plunge and thereafter formed with vacuum. Thus, a to a certain degree uneven material disposition with thicker and thinner portions is obtained. Since the demand made of a traditionally shaped insert is that it should be stiff throughout, it is necessary to check during the manufacturing that the thinnest part has a sufficient thickness so as to get a good stiffness. This means that the remaining portions of the insert due to the above mentioned non-uniformities will be over- dimensioned, which leads to the fact that in most cases the net weight of a traditionally shaped insert is up to three times that of an insert formed according to the invention.
  • the table below shows a comparison between different inserts for hot drinks collected from the market and compared with bowl-shaped cups with a form corresponding to Fig. 1 of the present invention, where H signifies an insert corresponding to e.g. the one in Figs. 2 and 8, while B corresponds to the insert shown in Fig 7.
  • the relevant traditionally shaped cups 1-4 have a wall thickness in the lower portion of between 0,18 and 0,23. This is apparently the lowest thickness required in order to obtain sufficient stiffness for the type of cup and material in question.
  • the other portions of these cups are thicker.
  • the wall thickness in the upper portion is 0,20 which as mentioned before provides an adequate stiffness.
  • the cups have been produced from a polypropylene film. This material has proved to be most suitable for several reasons. One reason is that the polypropylene provides an appropriate flexibility as regards the manner of securing the insert to the holder, where a certain flexibility is desirable. Secondly, propylene is very suitable for for example hot drinks as there are no environmental risks.

Landscapes

  • Stackable Containers (AREA)
  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)
  • Arrangement Or Mounting Of Control Devices For Change-Speed Gearing (AREA)
  • Supports Or Holders For Household Use (AREA)
EP81903062A 1980-12-02 1981-11-24 A preformed disposable insert for fitting in a holder Expired EP0073195B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE8008442 1980-12-02
SE8008442A SE424259B (sv) 1980-12-02 1980-12-02 Skalformad engangsinsats avsedd att lostagbart upptagas i en hallare for att tillsammans med denna bilda ett kerl

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0073195A1 EP0073195A1 (en) 1983-03-09
EP0073195B1 true EP0073195B1 (en) 1986-02-26

Family

ID=20342376

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP81903062A Expired EP0073195B1 (en) 1980-12-02 1981-11-24 A preformed disposable insert for fitting in a holder

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0073195B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPS57502149A (ja)
DE (1) DE3152538C2 (ja)
DK (1) DK341982A (ja)
GB (1) GB2112629B (ja)
NL (1) NL8120439A (ja)
NO (1) NO822625L (ja)
SE (1) SE424259B (ja)
WO (1) WO1982001813A1 (ja)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2158694B (en) * 1984-05-14 1988-01-27 Jasbir Singh Chagger Food dispensing tray
IT1268455B1 (it) * 1993-10-22 1997-03-04 Bellis Francesco De Tazza per bevande, per pubblico uso.
NL1006416C2 (nl) * 1997-06-26 1998-12-29 Rpc Tedeco B V Combinatie van een beker en een houder.
ES2187223B1 (es) * 1999-11-03 2004-08-16 Joaquin Javier Llovera Fernandez Dispositivo de precinto higienico para vasos y similares.
GB2364627A (en) * 2000-07-13 2002-02-06 Yang Chun Tse Bowl-shaped container assembly
WO2022164484A1 (en) * 2021-01-31 2022-08-04 Sneed Vince Specific use cupholder

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SE224840C1 (ja) * 1969-02-04
SE337455B (ja) * 1968-03-22 1971-08-09 Dixie Cup Ab

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK341982A (da) 1982-07-30
NL8120439A (nl) 1983-01-03
EP0073195A1 (en) 1983-03-09
GB2112629B (en) 1985-07-03
DE3152538T1 (de) 1983-12-01
NO822625L (no) 1982-07-30
DE3152538C2 (de) 1986-04-24
GB2112629A (en) 1983-07-27
SE8008442L (ja) 1982-06-03
SE424259B (sv) 1982-07-12
WO1982001813A1 (en) 1982-06-10
JPS57502149A (ja) 1982-12-09

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