EP2638832A2

EP2638832A2 - Beverage cup carrier

Info

Publication number: EP2638832A2
Application number: EP13386014.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Loukas Lambrinos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-03-12
Filing date: 2013-03-08
Publication date: 2013-09-18
Also published as: EP2638832A3; GR20120100149A; GR1008159B

Abstract

The carrier consists of a ring/hoop (A), in which the user can place a cup filled with a liquid, and a handle (B) to carry the whole.

The invention can be used to simultaneously carry more than one cup if the user connects more carriers to each other.

The advantage of the carrier is that its construction is simple, cost eficient and allows the user to carry a cup in an upright position without spills or burns.

Description

This invention refers to a ring-shaped carrier which accepts various beverage cups (e.g. coffee cups, soft drink cups etc). It consists of a ring/hoop (Fig. 1 ^A, Fig. 2 ^A, Fig. 3 ^A) in which the user can place the beverage cup and of a handle (Fig. 1 ^B, Fig. 2 ^B, Fig. 3 ^B) to carry the whole.
Till today, the most popular way for carrying beverage cups full of soft drinks, coffee or any liquid in general, was the use of either paper/ carton beverage carriers of 2 or 4 compartments, or drink carrier bags with pockets holding the drinks.
Our suggestion is simpler and refers to carrying one or more beverage cups using a simpler and more cost-efficient construction that still provides functionality.
The advantages of this invention include:

1) The user's ability to carry a full beverage cup, in an upright position, without spills (Fig. 3).
2) The user's safety, as the invention prevents any bums during the carrying of the cup (especially when the cup contains a hot drink).
3) The user can hang it from motorcycles, bicycles etc and carry the cup and its content unaffected by bumps and jolts.
4) The user will be able to drink while carrying the cup, as the cup may remain without a lid, allowing the user to simultaneously drink from it.
5) The construction is simple, resulting in a very low cost and, consequently, its adoption will not considerably weigh on the user.

The carrier consists of a cylindrical ring/ hoop of varying height, made of either soft or hard plastic, in which the cup is placed. As the diameter of the cup's lips is bigger than the diameter of the ring/ hoop's base (shaped as an inverted cone), the cup will be brought into a fixed position after placed into the ring/ hoop (closer to its upper open end), so that most of the cup's surface may be found under the ring/ hoop (depending on the said ring/ hoop's diameter). In this way, the cup will be trapped into the ring/ hoop (Fig. 3 ^A). Moreover, the ring/ hoop will have a fitted handle, attached to diametrically opposite sides of the ring/ hoop, so as to carry the whole while the cup remains trapped into the ring/ hoop (Fig. 3 ^B).
Depending on the cost and the desired usability of placing the cup, the ring/ hoop may be manufactured using soft or hard plastic.
If made out of soft material, the cup is more safely trapped and its height determines the stability and durability of the whole.
This invention may be used for more than one cup if the user combines together more handles or more rings/ hoops to simultaneously carry more than a single cup.

Claims

The carrier can be manufactured using different materials (soft or hard plastic, paper/ carton, metal, wire etc) and it is characterised by the user's ability to trap the cup into the invention's ring/ hoop. The invention consists of a ring/ hoop (Fig. 1^A, Fig. 2^A, Fig. 3^A) and a handle (Fig. 1^B, Fig. 2^B, Fig. 3^B).
The beverage cup carrier, as defined in claim 1, comprises a ring/ hoop of varying width (i.e. hoop height), into which the cup is trapped (Fig. 1^A, Fig. 2^A, Fig. 3^A)
The beverage cup carrier, as defined in claims 1 and 2, comprises a ring/hoop whose diameter depends on that of the cup to be used, so that the cup may be trapped into the carrier closer to its upper open end; in this way, the cup will remain in an upright position without spills (Fig. 3^A).
The beverage cup carrier, as defined in claims 1, 2, and 3, comprises a handle which may be adjustable and either detachable or permanently attached to the ring/ hoop (Fig. 1^B, Fig. 2^B, Fig. 3^B).
The beverage cup carrier, as defined in claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, allows its user to combine together one or more beverage cup carriers by connecting their rings/ hoops to each other, so that s/he may simultaneously carry more cups in the same way.
The beverage cup carrier, as defined in claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, allows its user to combine together one or more beverage cup carriers using their handles, so that s/he may simultaneously carry more cups in the same way.