EP0708612B1 - Fold-open goblet having a concave bottom provided with a stabilizing means - Google Patents

Abstract

The preformed concave bottom (51) of the fold-open goblet, made from a folded rectangular semi-rigid sheet with both halves being superimposed, is a dihedron delimited by the surfaces of two isosceles triangles inscribed within two right isosceles triangles while having a common base and apexes, while a semi-rigid thin lateral strip (36) forming a polygon for supporting the goblet is secured about the gobelet's base when it is unfolded.

Description

The present invention relates to a foldable cup made from a semi-rigid rectangular sheet folded in half so that the two halves are superimposed, the lateral edges of which are fixed between them and the bottom of which, preformed by creasing, constitutes a form concave after unfolding to keep the cup open.

Patent FR-A-2614873 describes a cup of the aforementioned kind in which the zone where the fingers are pressed naturally, to hold the cup when it is brought to the lips, corresponds to the concave zone of greatest spacing of the walls of the cup which is crossed by the fold line of the starting sheet as well as by random fold lines which can occur at the time of the formation of the bottom, especially if the operation is carried out manually by an uninformed person. All these fold lines constitute zones of weakness in locking the concave bottom when the cup is held naturally with the fingers, which then tends to regain its initial shape and to collapse. One can avoid sagging by holding the cup by the side edges fixing the half-leaves together, but this is not a natural position of the hand.

The patent FR-A-2629052 proposes a locking mode, using the stabilization flaps described in the patent FR-A-2614873, which is an effective solution but relatively complex to implement by the untrained user.

The object of the invention is to provide the user with a foldable cup provided with a preformed concave bottom having no parasitic fold lines which are the cause of the collapse of the cups described in the aforementioned patents and making it easier to unfold by simple pressure on its lateral edges while ensuring better stability to said cup in the unfolded state.

According to a first embodiment, the preformed concave bottom of the cup is a dihedral delimited by the surfaces of two isosceles triangles inscribed in two isosceles right triangles having a base and common vertices.

According to another embodiment, there is attached around the base of the cup, when unfolded, a semi-rigid thin strip whose lower edge constitutes a support polygon of said cup.

• La figure 1 représente un flan découpé et rainé destiné à constituer un gobelet selon l'invention.
• Les figures 2 et 3 montrent deux phases intermédiaires de la mise en forme du gobelet et particulièrement du fond.
• La figure 4 représente le gobelet formé et placé à l'envers pour en montrer le fond.
• La figure 5 représente le gobelet formé et plié selon l'invention pour en réduire l'encombrement et en obtenir un dépliage facile.
• La figure 6 montre le même gobelet déplié.
• La figure 7 représente le gobelet plié muni de rabats de stabilisation.
• La figure 8 montre le gobelet de la figure 7 avec uniquement le fond déployé.
• La figure 9 représente le gobelet de la figure 8 avec les rabats de stabilisation en place pour assurer l'équilibre de l'ensemble.
• La figure 10 montre d'une part un gobelet pliable à fond concave suivant l'invention et, d'autre part, les bandes de stabilisation avant leur fixation sur le gobelet.
• La figure 11 représente le gobelet pliable de la figure 10 muni des bandes de stabilisation partiellement découpées pour montrer le fond concave du gobelet.
• La figure 12 montre le gobelet de la figure 11 à l'état replié dont la bande de stabilisation est partiellement découpée pour montrer le fond triangulaire du gobelet.
• La figure 13 représente d'une part un gobelet pliable suivant l'invention à l'état replié et, d'autre part, des bandes de stabilisation avant fixation sur le gobelet plié.
• La figure 14 montre le gobelet de la figure 13 déplié avec les bandes de stabilisation en place, l'une d'elles étant découpée pour montrer le fond concave du gobelet.

Examples of embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 shows a cut and grooved blank intended to constitute a cup according to the invention.
• Figures 2 and 3 show two intermediate phases of the shaping of the cup and particularly the bottom.
• Figure 4 shows the cup formed and placed upside down to show the bottom.
• FIG. 5 represents the cup formed and folded according to the invention in order to reduce its bulk and to obtain an easy unfolding thereof.
• Figure 6 shows the same unfolded cup.
• Figure 7 shows the folded cup with stabilization flaps.
• Figure 8 shows the cup of Figure 7 with only the bottom deployed.
• Figure 9 shows the cup of Figure 8 with the stabilization flaps in place to ensure the balance of the assembly.
• FIG. 10 shows on the one hand a foldable cup with a concave bottom according to the invention and, on the other hand, the stabilization strips before their fixing on the cup.
• Figure 11 shows the foldable cup of Figure 10 with partially cut-out stabilization strips to show the concave bottom of the cup.
• Figure 12 shows the cup of Figure 11 in the folded state whose stabilization strip is partially cut to show the triangular bottom of the cup.
• FIG. 13 represents on the one hand a foldable cup according to the invention in the folded state and, on the other hand, stabilization bands before fixing on the folded cup.
• Figure 14 shows the cup of Figure 13 unfolded with the stabilization bands in place, one of which is cut to show the concave bottom of the cup.

The cup according to the invention is produced from an elongated rectangular sheet (fig. 1) made of a semi-rigid material and in the central part of which a creasing is practiced forming a rhombus 1 whose angles of the opposite vertices 2, located in the vicinity of the lateral sides 3, are acute and preferably placed on the center line 4 of said sheet. This rhombus 1 delimits the surface of the concave bottom 5 of the future cup (fig. 4) when it is deployed. A second creasing in the form of a square 6 is superimposed on this first rhombus 1 having two opposite vertices 7 coinciding with the vertices 2 of the rhombus 1 situated on the median line 4. This square 6 is the bottom of the future cup (fig.5) when 'it is folded up. Two lateral creasing lines 8 (fig. 1) parallel to the longest sides 3 of the sheet, and passing through the vertices 2 and 7 at square 6 and at rhombus 1, delimit the zone for fixing the lateral edges 9 (fig. 4 ) of the goblet between them. A central crease line 10 (fig. 1) parallel to the long sides 3 of the sheet, passing through the other vertices 11 and 12 of the square 6 and of the diamond 1, constitutes in particular the fold line of the bottom 5.

To form the cup (fig. 4) the sheet is gradually folded (fig. 1) along the central creasing line 10 (fig. 2) so that the outer part 13 of the future cup forms a hollow. The bottom 5 of the future goblet which was initially a rhombus 1 (fig. 1) turns into a dihedron formed by two isosceles triangles 14 and 15 having their base 16 in common and begins to form the concavity of the bottom (5). Simultaneously, the zones 17 and 18 located on either side of the bottom 5 are pressed until their curvature is reversed, by reversing the direction of folding at the level of the central creasing line 10, and assume a shape convex formed by two dihedrons 21 and 22, with a central edge 19 and 20, which will constitute the lateral faces of the cup (fig. 4). Continuing the movement, the concave bottom 5 is hollowed out while the edges 23 and 24 of the convex dihedrons 21 and 22, located on either side of the concave bottom 5 and which constitute the zones 9 (fig. 4) for fixing the walls. lateral between them, come closer and are superimposed at the end of movement by folding at the level of the lateral grooves 8. It is then possible to fix the lateral walls between them to form a cup whose upper orifice in the shape of a rhombus .

The area of the edge 25 (fig. 6) which is used for drinking, is located in the area where said edge intersects the central fold line 10. The entry of the cup (fig. 6) takes place naturally in the vicinity of the ends 12 of the common base 16 (fig.3) of the two triangles 14 and 15 forming the concave bottom which is constituted by a dihedral very resistant to the pressure of the fingers since it does not have folds which could constitute buckling primers.

Then, the edges 8 of the zones 9 (fig. 4) connecting the lateral faces 21 and 22 are pressed, the concave bottom 5 continuing to widen; the zone 26, located between what was initially the diamond 1 (fig. 1) representing the bottom 5 and the square 6, gradually deforms. The central fold line 10 (fig. 4) flames in this zone 26 and this surface gradually becomes, as the opposite lateral faces 21 and 22 approach, two isosceles right triangles 27 and 28 coming from the folding of the square 6 on itself (fig. 1); said triangles, connected by their common diagonal with the base 16 (fig.2) of the two triangles 14 and 15 constituting the concave bottom 5, coming to be superimposed (fig.5). The cup (fig. 5) is then folded back with the zones 9 for fixing the opposite side walls 21 and 22 situated in the central zone of the folded cup, while the edges 19 and 20 now constitute the lateral edges of the folded cup. To facilitate this operation, grooves 29 (fig. 1) can be formed formed from lines parallel to each other and perpendicular to the central fold line 10.

To open the cup (fig.6), simply press the side edges 19 and 20 of the folded cup (fig.5) and the reverse movement occurs until the concave bottom 5 (fig.10) resume the initial shape previously described (fig.4), formed of two triangles 14 and 15 (fig.3) having a common side 16 which is the small diagonal of the initial diamond 1 (fig.1). When you reach this position the dihedral formed by the concave bottom 5 (fig.6) becomes resistant and the cup is in the unfolded position.

The initial rectangular sheet can be extended by the flaps 30 (fig. 7) described in patent FR-A-2614873 with a crease line 31 at their base which can allow folding to ensure the stability of the cup (fig. 9) . At the end of the folding of the cup, each flap 30 is folded on itself along its axis of symmetry which is also the extension of the lateral edges 19 and 20. The cup is unfolded (fig.8) as previously described, the flaps 30 then forming two dihedral whose edges 32 are the extensions of the sides side 19 and 20.

The edges 32 are pressed at the level of the grooves 31 situated at the base of the flaps 30 so that the dihedrons formed by these flaps 30 become plane by simple deformation. It is then possible to turn the flaps 30 whose direction of folding is reversed to form another dihedral matching the shape of the side walls 21 and 22 (fig. 9) of the cup, thus constituting rigid support points 33 combined with those 34 at the end of the zones 9 for fixing the lateral faces 21 and 22 to each other which are in the vicinity of the vertices 2 of the triangles making up the concave bottom 5 of the cup.

To improve the stabilization of the cup, it is possible to provide a solution which is both more economical in consumption of raw material and more comfortable for the user.

This solution consists in fixing to the side wall 35 of the cup (FIGS. 10 and 11) when it is unfolded, a thin semi-rigid strip 36 of which one of the sides 37 is in contact with the surface on which the unfolded cup rests, constituting a support polygon. This strip 36 is in one or more pieces and surrounds all or part of the base of the cup.

In the case of a cup made from a semi-rigid sheet simply folded in half, with a concave bottom 38 (fig. 13 and 14) only grooved to facilitate its formation and fixed by welding on the fixing zones 39 overlapping side edges 44, it suffices to place a thin semi-rigid rectangular side strip 40, one side 41 of which is superimposed on the fold 42 of the bottom 38 of the unfolded cup. This band 40 is at least fixed at its ends 43 on the fixing zones 39 between them of the side edges 44 of the cup and possibly on the part 45 covering the side edges 44 of the cup when it is formed. The strip 36 (fig.10) or the strip 40 (fig.13) includes if necessary grooves 46 corresponding to those 47 of the lateral surface 35 or 44, the shape of which it must conform to when the cup is unfolded. The width 49 or 50 of this strip is preferably equal to or greater than the depth of the hollow formed by the concave bottom 38 or 51.

In the case of a foldable cup made from a preformed bottom (fig. 10, 11, 12), a thin semi-rigid strip 36 is placed on either side of the base of the cup, preferably in unfolded position so that the lower lateral border 37 of the bands 36 forms the support polygon alone or in cooperation with the points 52 of the concave bottom 51. Each of the bands 36 is fixed at least at its ends 54 which cover the areas 55 for fixing the opposite side walls 35 of the cup. Then, when the cup is folded (fig.12) the side bands 36 mask the triangular base 53. This side band 36 can be fixed by welding or gluing.

In the upper part of the cups (fig. 10 and 14), we can keep a small tongue 56, a few centimeters wide, which extends the edge of the cup and which, when folded, makes it possible to form a neck for drinking properly . This tongue can also be extended by a flange 57 (FIG. 12) for closing the cup when it is folded, from which it is separated by a precut 58.

This flange 57 can be closed by gluing, welding, stapling or any other suitable means. To use the cup, it is necessary to cut beforehand the flange 57 constituting a closure which guarantees the content and its cleanliness.

Such a cup can be easily obtained from a sheet of compact cardboard internally coated with a plastic film used for sealing the cardboard and for fixing the edges 9 or 55 to each other by welding.

Claims (6)

1. Unfoldable tumbler obtained from a semi-rigid sheet, a bottom (5) being preshaped by grooves in the central portion of said sheet so that the tumbler constitutes in its folded back state two walls (21, 22) fixed together via their edges (39, 55) and a concave bottom, said tumbler being shaped by exerting pressure on its lateral edges (19, 20) and whose walls are extended from hinged tongues (30) whose extremities form support points for a stable base of the tumbler, characterised in that :

   - the preshaped bottom (5) is a dihedron delimited by the surfaces of two isosceles triangles (14, 15) having a common base (16) and whose apexes (2) form an acute angle and are merged with the apexes (7) of two adjacent rectangular isosceles triangles (27, 28), the entire unit forming a square (6) whose two portions situated on both sides of the base (16) are superimposed when the tumbler is in the folded back state ;

   - the base of the tumbler is stabilised by the fixing of at least one lateral strip (36, 40) whose lower edge (37, 41) constitutes all or part of the support polygon of said tumbler by co-operating with the points (52) of the concave bottom ;

   - a tongue (56) extends the walls (35) of the tumbler and folds back so as to form its upper edge.
2. Tumbler according to claim 1, characterised in that the resistance of the dihedron forming the bottom (5) is ensured by the sole folding line (16).
3. Tumbler according to claim 1, characterised in that grooves (29) parallel to the edge of the tumbler are made in the zone (26) of the bottom (5) so as to facilitate moving of the tumbler from the folded back state to the unfolded state.
4. Tumbler according to claim 1, characterised in that the fixing of the lateral strip (36, 40) is obtained by fixing the edges (43, 54) to the zones (55, 39) for fixing the lateral walls (35, 44) of the tumblers.
5. Tumbler according to claim 1, characterised in that the tongue (56) is extended by an unbreakable strip (57) separated from said tongue by a pre-cut (58) and which makes it possible to close the tumbler, thus constituting a strip for guaranteeing the wholeness of the internal space of said tumbler.
6. Tumbler according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made from a compact cardboard sheet coated on its internal face with a thin layer of plastic.

Images