Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D21/00—Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
  • B65D21/02—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
  • B65D21/0209—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together stackable or joined together one-upon-the-other in the upright or upside-down position
  • B65D21/0217—Containers with a closure presenting stacking elements
  • B65D21/0222—Containers with a closure presenting stacking elements the closure and the bottom presenting co-operating peripheral ribs and grooves
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00046—Drinking-through lids
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00064—Shape of the outer periphery
  • B65D2543/00074—Shape of the outer periphery curved
  • B65D2543/00092—Shape of the outer periphery curved circular
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00259—Materials used
  • B65D2543/00268—Paper
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00259—Materials used
  • B65D2543/00277—Metal
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00259—Materials used
  • B65D2543/00296—Plastic
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00259—Materials used
  • B65D2543/00305—Other
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
  • B65D2543/00259—Materials used
  • B65D2543/00314—Combination, e.g. laminates, several different materials
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00342—Central part of the lid
  • B65D2543/00351—Dome-like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00481—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container
  • B65D2543/0049—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container on the inside, or a part turned to the inside of the mouth of the container
  • B65D2543/00527—NO contact
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00481—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container
  • B65D2543/00537—Contact between the container and the lid on the inside or the outside of the container on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00592—Snapping means
  • B65D2543/00712—Snapping means on the lid
  • B65D2543/00722—Profiles
  • B65D2543/00731—Groove or hollow bead
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
  • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D2543/00444—Contact between the container and the lid
  • B65D2543/00592—Snapping means
  • B65D2543/00712—Snapping means on the lid
  • B65D2543/00787—Periphery concerned
  • B65D2543/00796—Totality

Definitions

• the present invention relates to beverage container closures.
• the invention has been developed primarily for use as a closure for beverage containers sold to a consumer for consumption away from the point of sale of the beverage and "will be described hereinafter with reference to this application, However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field ofuse.
• take away coffees typically dispense a large number of take away beverages- Some vendors dispense sugar and other additives into the take away coffees whilst others leave it to the consumer to add these to their taste.
• take away coffees are dispensed to consumers in paper or Styrofoam cup containers and lids are disposed over the top to prevent spillage.
• the lids include an aperture for drinking the coffee without removing the lid, or to receive a drinking straw.
• cup container holders having four apertures spaced apart in a plane.
• a most common form resembles a paper or fibreboard egg carton with only four apertures and the cups are simply received within the apertures and the walls can form an interference fit with a cup container to retain it in the holder.
• Purchasers require a stable carrying platform when transporting a plurality of disposable beverages in the course of normal carrying events, such as looking at traffic whilst walking, traversing stairs or driving a motor vehicle, In the latter case, it is normal to purchase take away coffees, for example, from a drive-thru equipped retailer.
• any container holders desirably firmly retain the container against vehicle acceleration, deceleration and in cornering.
• the use of such holders can undesirably add expense to the beverage vendor by having to dispense essentially another product, but also in time required for staff to locate and/or load the plurality of beverages. It also provides additional material to be disposed of by the purchaser.
• such known lids have a circumferentially disposed raised annular rim around an uppermost surface of the lid.
• a beverage container base is supported by the upper lid surface and is laterally supported by the raised rim.
• the lateral support is ideally provided in an interference fit between an inner diameter of the ring and the outer diameter of the bottom end of the beverage container, Such interference fit rarely occurs at least because of manufacturing tolerances, however, limitations are also placed on variations of the outer diameter or outside surface of the beverage containers.
• the addition of vertical corrugations, use of sleeves or different wall thicknesses on the beverage containers will vary the outer diameter making it typically too large or too small for an interference fit with the inside of the rim.
• support provided to a stacked beverage container is substantially provided by the upper most surface of the lid and lateral support is not as strong as in conventional holders disadvantageously resulting in stacked containers easily falling.
• the genesis of the invention is to provide a beverage container closure that will more stably support one or more stacked beverage containers, or to provide a useful alternative.
• a beverage container closure comprising: a circumferentially disposed cup engagement means configured for releasable engagement about a beverage container opening; an upper closure surface disposed intermediate said cup engagement means; and a beverage container support extending from said closure surface a predetermined height thereabove, said container support surrounded at a bottom end by a gutter being disposed a pre-determined depth below said upper closure surface, said gutter configured to support a bottom end of said beverage container; wherein said beverage container support is configured to support and releasably engage the base of said beverage container.
• the beverage container support advantageously laterally supports the inner diameter of the lower end of a beverage container and the gutter advantageously provides additional lateral support whilst the upper closure surface can also advantageously provide vertical support.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage container closure according to a first preferred embodiment
• Fig. 2 is a top view of the closure of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a rear view of the closure of Fig. 1;
• Fig.4 is a right-hand side view of the closure of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 5 is a cutaway view through the line F5-F5 the closure of Fig. 2;
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a beverage container closure according to another preferred embodiment.
• Fig. 7 is a front view of the closure of Fig. 6:
• Fig. 8 is a plan view of the closure of Fig. 6;
• Fig. 9 is a right hand side view of the closure of Fig. 6;
• Fig. 10 is a rear view of the closure of Fig. 6; and Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of the closure of Fig, 6.
• FIG. 1-5 there is shown a perspective view of a beverage container closure 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention.
• the closure 1 includes a circumferentially disposed cup engagement means 2 configured for releasable engagement with a beverage container opening (not illustrated).
• the cup engagement means 2 typically fits over a beverage container opening rim (not illustrated) so as to form an interference fit and typically a seal.
• the beverage container opening rim is configured to abut a cup engagement means shoulder 3 of the closure 1 when in use.
• the beverage container closure 1 includes an upper closure surface 4 disposed intermediate the cup engagement means 2, A beverage container support 5 extends from the upper closure surface 4 a pre-determined height above it.
• the beverage container support 5 is surrounded at a lower end by a gutter 6. This is best seen in Fig. 5, The gutter 6 is disposed a pre-determined depth, below the upper closure surface 4.
• the gutter 6 is configured to support the lower end of a beverage container (not illustrated), and gutter sidewall 7 is configured to laterally support the outer diameter of the lower end of the beverage container,
• the beverage container support 5 has a maximum diameter that is less than or about equal to the inner diameter of a base of a beverage container (not illustrated).
• the beverage container support 5 is configured to support and releasably engage the base of a beverage container to allow stacking. It can therefore be seen that the container closure 1 advantageously provides engagement between the inner diameter of the bottom end of a beverage container and/or the outer diameter of the bottom, end of the beverage container by projection sidewall 8 or gutter sidewall 7 respective.)', and the beverage container can also be vertically supported by the gutter 6.
• the beverage container support 5 of the first preferred embodiment is substantially cylindrical, and un-tapered.
• the beverage container support 5 is disposed slightly off- centre relative to the circumferentially disposed cup engagement means 2.
• a dispenser or outlet 9 is disposed at or adjacent an edge of the upper closure surface 4. So far as the beverages would unlikely to be consumed whilst in a stacked configuration, the closure outlet 9 can be spaced apart from an intermediate edge of the upper closure surface 4 and the gutter 6.
• the beverage container closure 1 is formed from a moulded plastic- It will be appreciated that the closure 1 can. be formed from any preferred plastics material, for example, polyvinyl chloride; polystyrene; polyethylene; polypropylene; polyamides; acrylics, silicones, celluloid or synthetic rubber. Of course, the closure 1 can be formed from any preferred materials such as metals or alloys thereof, papers or fibreboards or cardboards, or a combination of these materials with or without plastics material. It "will be appreciated that the closure 1 can be formed from glass.
• the beverage container closure 1 can include a support 5 which is tapered from an end at the gutter 6 to reduce in diameter toward a top end 10 of the support 1. It will be appreciated, for example, that the diameter at the top surface 10 of the projection 5 can be any preferred amount less than the diameter of the gutter 6 so as to accommodate beverage containers having different inner diameters at their lower end.
• the beverage container 1 of the first preferred embodiment is configured so that the maximum height of the projection 5 from the gutter 6 to the projection upper surface 10 is less than or substantially equal to a distance between a lowermost sidewall end of a beverage container and a base disposed across the sidewall a pre-determined height above the lowermost end (not illustrated).
• the height of the support 5 from the gutter 6 to the top 10 is configured to be substantially the same or less than a height between a beverage container base and a lowermost end of the beverage container sidewaU.
• a beverage container closure 1 there is shown another preferred embodiment of a beverage container closure 1.
• the beverage container support 5 is not formed from a single cylindrical projection extending from the gutter 6 but is instead formed by a plurality of cylindrical segments 12, or wedges, disposed in a side-by- side arrangement It can be seen that the individual wedges have the effect of forming projection side walls 8 and the container support upper surface 10 is also provided by the wedges.
• the hollow central portion 13 formed by the wedges 12 is at the same height or level as the gutter 6.
• the central portion 13 is preferably any height between that of the gutter 6 and the support upper surface 10.
• gaps 14 disposed intermediate the wedges 12 are preferably at the same height as the central portion 14.
• the beverage container support 5 can be formed from a hollow cylinder or annulus extending from the gutter 6 a pre-determined height above the closure upper surface 4, or could be composed of portions thereof so as to in essence provide projection sidewalls 8 to allow the inner diameter at the bottom end of a beverage container to be retained in an interference fit therewith.
• any preferred shape or configuration of the beverage container support 5 can be used provided the projection 5 extends a pre-determined height above the closure upper surface 4 and terminates below the level of the upper closure surface 4 at a gutter 6.
• triangular or polygonal or other cross-sectionally shaped regular or irregular container support projections 5 can be used as preferred, and a single projection 5 can be formed from a combination of these or other shapes.
• the upper lid surface 4 extending from the gutter sidewaLl 7 can be flat as shown Ln the preferred embodiments or it can modulate in height or slope as preferred.
• the upper Hd surface 4 can be formed from a continuous surface, as illustrated, or it can be alternatively formed from shaped segments so that the surface 4 can, in parts thereof, be at a height comparable to the gutter 6. That is, the gutter sidewall 7 does not need to be continuous.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=40093081

Family Applications (1)

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Citations (5)

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• 2008
  • 2008-06-06 CN CN2008800237166A patent/CN101730649B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-06-06 NZ NZ582424A patent/NZ582424A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-06-06 WO PCT/AU2008/000809 patent/WO2008148162A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-06-06 AU AU2008258273A patent/AU2008258273B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2008-06-06 EP EP08756893A patent/EP2164765A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-06-06 JP JP2010510615A patent/JP2010528943A/ja active Pending
  • 2008-06-06 US US12/663,379 patent/US20100163558A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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