EP2272403A1

EP2272403A1 - Disposable cup with a small rotary spoon

Info

Publication number: EP2272403A1
Application number: EP08761538A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alejandro Parias Cruz
Original assignee: Spooncup Sl
Current assignee: Spooncup Sl
Priority date: 2008-04-29
Filing date: 2008-04-29
Publication date: 2011-01-12
Also published as: WO2009133211A1; EP2272403A4

Abstract

Disposable cup with rotary stirrer, that comprises a container (1), a stirrer (2), and a lid (3) that can be coupled to the container (1) and with a circular opening (4) to let the stirrer (2) through and to pour the additives. The stirrer (2) comprises a first horizontal section (20), a second vertical section (5), and a third section (21) tilted forming an α angle with the second vertical section (5), the end part (6) protruding performing handle functions. The stirrer comprises an upper circular section (7) with a D_SUP diameter bigger than the D_TAP diameter of the circular opening (4) of the lid and a lower circular section (8) with a D_INF diameter inferior to D_SUP and slightly bigger than the D_TAP diameter of the opening (4) to allow the fitting, by means of pressure, of the edge of the circular opening (4) of the lid with an intermediate slot (9) of the stirrer, allowing the stirrer to rotate (2) without pulling out, once it has been coupled to the lid (3).

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a disposable cup for cold or hot drinks, such as coffee and iced drinks served in different establishments from the catering industry, comprising on the one hand a drinking hole for sipping the drink, and on the other hand, a hole to pour sugar or other additives and to introduce a stirrer to shake the content of the cup and thus favour the dissolution of the additives. It is also taken into account, as in the case of very cold drinks, such as iced drinks, that the stirrer has an opening for a drinking straw.

Background of the invention

Nowadays, it is possible to find in numerous establishments from the catering industry, especially in those that serve either cold or hot drinks to take away, such as coffee, disposable cups made up of four separate pieces: container, lid, stirrer and wrap to cover the container in the event that the drink is served too hot.
In most of said cups, just the container, the lid, and the wrap can be coupled to each other, leaving the stirrer independent from the rest of the pieces. This poses several inconveniences, since once the liquid is served in the container and the lid is coupled, it is necessary to lift the lid again to stir the content or to pour any other new substance in it.
The international patent application PCT/ES2006/000350 partially solves the above mentioned problem by allowing stirring the content of the cup once it is served, since it has a stirrer that can be coupled to the lid that allows the rotation and the shaking of the liquid without having to lift the lid. However, it does not solve the problem of pouring a new substance or additive, for example adding sugar or more milk, without lifting the lid.
The present invention solves the stated problem since it allows, once the content has been served and the lid has been coupled to the container, to add extras or additives (sugar, milk, etc.), to shake the content of the cup and to drink the content through the drinking hole made on the lid, all this without having to lift the lid. For that purpose the lid has a central slot whereby additives are poured and a stirrer is introduced, said stirrer with a special configuration that allows the coupling to the lid, the rotation thereof performing handle functions to shake the content, and the closure of said central slot in such a way that it minimizes the loss of heat and/or cold, depending whether it is a hot or cold drink, and it prevents the liquid to spill in case it accidently turns over. Moreover, in the case of very cold drinks, such as iced drinks, the stirrer presents an opening to introduce a drinking straw. The stirrer can be put in or taken out to pour more additives as many times as desired.

Description of the invention

The invention relates to a disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
The disposable cup with rotary stirrer comprises a container, a stirrer, a lid that can be coupled to the container, and an opening to let the stirrer through; the stirrer has, near to one of its ends of a first horizontal section, a second vertical section that goes through the opening of the lid, and a third section tilted in relation to the vertical and forming an α angle with the second vertical section, the end part protruding and performing handle functions.
The opening of the lid is circular and it is configured to allow the pouring of additives, being said opening substantially located in the middle of the lid.
The stirrer presents, in the upper part of the second vertical section, an:

upper circular section, perpendicular to the second vertical section, with a D_SUP diameter bigger than the D_TAP diameter of the circular opening of the lid: and a
lower circular section, parallel to the upper circular section and located underneath thereof, and with a D_INF diameter inferior to D_SUP, said D_INF diameter being slightly bigger than the D_TAP diameter of the circular opening of the lid so as to allow the fitting, by means of pressure, of the edge of the circular opening of the lid with an intermediate slot of the stirrer, located between both upper and lower circular sections thereof, allowing the stirrer to rotate without pulling out, once it has been coupled to the lid.

The stirrer is preferably flared in the end of the section that is introduced in the container in the form of a scoop.
The stirrer can present a plurality of holes made alongside the section that is introduced in the container.
The lid can preferably present either an opening or a nozzle located near its periphery performing functions of a drinking orifice. The upper end of the lid preferably has a raised edge in relation to the surface thereof. In this case the opening performing the function of the drinking orifice can be located on the raised edge of the lid.
The opening of the lid is preferably raised in relation to the surface thereof.
The third section tilted in relation to the vertical can form a 90° angle with respect to the second vertical section, or a minor angle but sufficient to allow stirring the content.
The lid can be vaulted for cold drinks such us iced drinks.
The stirrer can in turn comprise a hole to let a drinking straw through, being said hole concentric to the lower circular section.

Brief description of the drawings

To help understand better the invention, a preferred embodiment of the invention is described as a non-limiting example thereof. Reference is made to the attached drawings in which:

Figures 1A and 1B show a cross section of the container and lid of the disposable cup object of the invention, together with the rotary stirrer, for two embodiments of the stirrers.
Figures 2A and 2B show a disposable cup with all its mounted elements, the second one being a plan view.
Figure 3 shows the fitting between the stirrer and lid in detail, the latter in cross section view to appreciate the coupling in more detail.
Figures 4A and 4B show the process of the stirrer-lid coupling schematically and in cross section.
Figure 5 schematically represents a specific embodiment of the cup object of the invention, wherein the cup presents holes to facilitate the rotation.
Figure 6 shows, in cross section, another embodiment of the invention, in this case specially suitable for very cold drinks such us iced drinks or even ice creams.
Figure 7 shows the disposable cup of Figure 6 with its mounted elements.

Detailed description of the invention

In Figures 1A and 1B , the elements that make up the disposable cup can be observed: a container 1, a stirrer 2, and a lid 3, preferably made of disposable material. In this case, it is a cup with a flat lid suitable for drinks, such as coffee with milk, either hot or cold.
In said specific embodiment of the invention, the lid 3 is coupled in the habitual way to the container 1. The lid 3 has a slot or circular opening 4 in its central area with a D_TAP diameter and several functions: to allow the stirrer 2 inside and to allow the pouring of sugar and other additives to the content, normally liquid, into the container 1 once the container 1 has been filled with the corresponding drink and the lid 3 has been coupled thereof. In turn the lid 3 presents an opening or slot 13 on its upper end whereby the user will be able to drink the liquid content once the lid 3 and the stirrer 2 have been coupled. Instead of using an opening, it is also possible to use a nozzle performing the same function of drinking orifice, although in that case it would protrude higher with respect to the lid 3.
The stirrer has near to one of its ends of a first horizontal section 20, a second vertical section 5 that goes through the opening 4 of the lid 3, and a third section 21 tilted with respect to the vertical forming an a angle, an angle that allows to stir the content, with the second vertical section 5, the end part 6 protruding performing handle functions. In Figure 1A , the α angle is approximately 90°, the first section 20, the second vertical section 5 and, the third tilted section 21 form some bends in C shape. In Figure 1B , the angle is approximately 45°, achieving the handle effect as well.
The stirrer 2 is introduced through the opening 4 of the lid 3. For that purpose the stirrer will have to be tilted when the bends in C shape are being introduced, in the case of Figure 1A, located in one of the ends of section 12 that is introduced in the container 1. On the other end of the section 12 that is introduced in the container 1, the stirrer presents a flared section 10 in the form of a scoop. In the upper part of the second vertical section 5 of the bends in C shape, the stirrer 2 presents an upper circular section 7, perpendicular to the second vertical section 5, with a D_SUP diameter (shown in Figure 2B) bigger than D_TAP diameter of the circular opening 4 of the lid.
Once the stirrer 2 has been coupled to the lid 3, and in turn this has been coupled to the container 1, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B (the latter is a plan view of the cup), said upper, circular section 7 will remain as closure of the circular opening 4 of the lid 3, preventing the drink to spill when the cup is inclined or to lose heat. By coupling the stirrer 2 to the fixing device of the lid 3, it can rotate 360° both ways fully stirring the liquid of the container. The end part 6 of the stirrer 2 protrudes performing handle functions to allow the rotation of the stirrer 2.
The upper end of the lid 3 presents a raised edge 15 in relation to the surface thereof, where the drinking orifice is preferably placed, said drinking orifice that can be either an opening 13 or a nozzle. Said edge 15 will remain at a slightly higher height from stirrer 2, the end 6 protruding to facilitate the rotation of the stirrer 2.
Figure 3 shows in detail the fitting between the stirrer 2 and the lid 3. The stirrer presents, in the upper part of the second vertical section 5 of the bends in C shape, a lower circular section 8, located underneath and parallel to the upper circular section 7 and with a diameter D_INF inferior to the diameter D_SUP of said upper circular section 7. The D_INF diameter of the lower circular section 8 is slightly bigger than the D_TAP diameter of the circular opening 4 of the lid 3, the lower circular section 8, made of a disposable material, could be introduced by means of pressure into the container, leaving the upper circular section 7 above the lid 3, and the edge of the circular opening 4 of the lid remaining fit to an intermediate slot 9 of the stirrer 2, said slot located between both the upper circular section 7 and the lower circular section 8, allowing the stirrer 2 to rotate without pulling out from the lid. Figures 4A and 4B show the stirrer-lid coupling in detail, where it can be seen that the edge of the opening 4, raised with respect to the lid, is left practically horizontal once the pressure has been exerted with the stirrer 2 and introduced the lower circular section 8 in the container.
Figure 5 schematically shows another specific embodiment of the invention, wherein the stirrer 2 presents holes 11 made in the section that is introduced in the container to facilitate the rotation of the stirrer and prevent rotation resistance caused by the liquid in the container.
The present invention can also be applied to cold drinks and iced drinks. In this case it can be implemented, as shown in Figure 6, a vaulted lid with a central opening 24 therein for the introduction of the stirrer-drinking straw. In this case, as shown in the figure, the second vertical section 5 does not start from the centre of the lower circular section (8), as is the case in the different embodiments of the invention shown in figures 1 to 5, but it starts from one of its ends, thus allowing the passage of a drinking straw to sip the content of the cup, through opening 24 made in the centre of said lower circular section (8). This is also applicable for the cup with flat lid of figures 1A and 1B.

Claims

Disposable cup with rotary stirrer, that comprises a container (1), a stirrer (2), and a lid (3) that can be coupled to the container (1) and with an opening (4) to let the stirrer (2) through; the stirrer (2) comprising near to one of its ends of a first horizontal section (20), a second vertical section (5) that goes through the opening (4) of the lid (3) and a third section (21) tilted in relation to the vertical and forming an α angle with the second vertical section (5), the end part (6) protruding performing handle functions, characterized in that the opening (4) of the lid (3) is circular and it is configured to allow the pouring of additives, said opening (4) being substantially centred in the lid (3), and in that the stirrer (2) has on the upper part of the second vertical section (5) an:
- upper circular section (7), perpendicular to the second vertical section (5), with a D_SUP diameter bigger than the D_TAP diameter of the circular opening (4) of the lid; and a

- lower circular section (8), parallel to the upper circular section (7) and located underneath thereof and with a D_INF diameter inferior to D_SUP, being said D_INF diameter slightly bigger than the D_TAP diameter of the circular opening (4) of the lid (3) to allow the fitting, by means of pressure, of the edge of the circular opening (4) of the lid with an intermediate slot (9) of the stirrer located between both the upper (7) and lower (8) circular sections thereof, allowing the stirrer to rotate (2) without pulling out, once it has been coupled to the lid (3).
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to claim 1, characterized in that the stirrer (2) comprises in the end of the section (12) that is introduced in the container (1) a flared section (10) in the form of a scoop.
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stirrer (2) comprises a plurality of holes (11) made along the section (12) that is introduced in the container (1).
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lid (3) comprises an opening (13) located near to its periphery performing functions of a drinking orifice.
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the claims 1-3, characterized in that the lid (3) comprises a nozzle located near to its periphery performing functions of a drinking orifice.
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper end of the lid (3) comprises an edge (15) raised in relation to the surface thereof.
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to the claims 4 and 6, characterized in that the opening (13) performing functions of drinking orifice is located on the raised edge (15) of the lid (3).
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening (4) of the lid (3) is raised in relation to the surface. thereof.
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third section (21) tilted with respect to the vertical forms a 90° angle with respect to the second vertical section (5).
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the claims 1-5, characterized in that the lid (3) has a vaulted shape.
Disposable cup with rotary stirrer according to any of the claims 1-10, characterized in that the stirrer bears an opening (24) to let the drinking straw through, said opening (24) being concentric to the lower circular section (8).