GB1572033A - Cup for food product - Google Patents

Description

(54) CUP FOR FOOD PRODUCT (71) We, UNILEVER LIMITED, a company organised under the laws of Great Britain, of Unilever House, Blackfriars, London E/C 4, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a cup for ice creams, creme caramel and similar sweet products, adapted to be dispensed in the solid state from a container at the moment of consumption and to be covered by a liquid such as syrup. Containers for said product are known. However. with the employment of known containers, when it is desired to cover the top of the product dispensed from the container with a liquid such as syrup. it is necessary to pour the liquid. contained in a separate container, separately.

According to the present invention, there is provided an open top food cup containing a food product in the solid state in a first cavity which has an opening forming the open top. and also containing a food product in a liquid state in a second cavity in the base of the cup which is substantially smaller than the first cavity and which opens at its upper end into the bottom of the first cavity.

there being an upwardly projecting rim around the opening of the second cavity and extending slightly into the first cavity. with the upper level of the liquid food product lying below the top of the rim and the solid state food product plugging the opening between the cavities.

During transport and display of the container according to the invention. the liquid food product is substantially prevented from escaping from the second cavity by the food product in the first cavity. this product effectively acting as a "plu~g". Anv food product which is stored in the container in the substantially solid state will fulfil this function and can be provided in such a cup with any desired food product in the second cavity which is liquid under the storage conditions.

As shown in the drawings, the upwardly projecting rim provided around the opening of the second cavity and slightly projecting into the first cavity with the upper end of the liquid food product lying below the top of the rim, has the effect that the product placed in the first cavity thus projects a little way into the second cavity, and its projection portion will contribute favourably to the "plug" function to prevent escape of liquid from the second cavity.

A support member can be provided, a bead on the support member being adapted to clip into a recess formed in the upwardly projecting rim.

The invention will now be more fully described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cup according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a transverse section taken along line Il-Il of Figure 1.

A cup for ice cream adapted to be dispensed from the cup at the moment of consumption, comprises a hollow body 1 of preferably flexible thermoformed plastics material open at one end, which has a planar rim 2 having an outwardly extending reinforcing flange 3.

Adjacent the rim 2 the body 1 presents, on its internal surface, an annular groove 4 adapted to receive in known manner a closing lid in the form of a disc not illustrated in the drawing. The body 1 has a first portion 5 adjacent the open end defining a first cavity and a second portion 6 adjacent the first portion 5 defining a second cavity.

The two cavities are in reciprocal communication with each other, by means of a central aperture 7 in the second cavity portion 6. The diameter of the central aperture 7 is, as can be seen in the drawing, of substantially lesser diameter than that of the open end of the body. Also the diameter of the first portion 5 decreases from the open end to the central aperture 7.

This permits a support surface 10 for ice-cream 8, surrounding the central aperture 7. As shown in the drawing, the support surface 10 is a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the rim 2.

The portion 6 of the body 1 which defines the second cavity is illustrated in the drawing as slightly projecting into the first cavity defined by the portion 5, for the abovementioned reason. An external annular recess 11 is provided in the external surface of the portion 6 of the body 1, surrounding the central aperture 7.

The annular recess 11 receives an enlarged leading end bead 12 of a cylindrical support member 13 of thermoformed plastics material, which has an annular flange base 14, serving to support the cup, the bead 12 clipping into the annular recess 11.

The cup may equally be formed of injection-moulded plastics material in a single piece.

The cup can also be coloured, the parts 13 and 14 constituting a stem can have different colours to that of the portion 5.

For filling the cup, first a liquid 9, e.g. a fruit syrup with a high content of sugar and also containing alcohol. is brought into the second cavity defined by the portion 6.

However, the level of the liquid is below the recess 11. Thereupon ice-cream 8 is filled into the first cavity defined by the portion 5 in such a manner that it flows on to the liquid without becoming mixed with it.

After the cup is closed, the ice-cream is frozen as usual and in this solid or nearly solid condition it now acts as a plug for the second cavity in which the syrup remains liquid despite the low temperature.

At the moment of consumption of the product the cup is turned over on to a plate, the ice-cream thaws from the portion 5 and falls down on to the plate and the liquid 9 flows because of this over the ice-cream.

Dispensing of the product in the first cavity can be assisted by deforming the flexible portion 5.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An open top food cup containing a food product in the solid state in a first cavity which has an opening forming the open top, and also containing a food product in a liquid state in a second cavity in the base of the cup which is substantially smaller than the first cavity and which opens at its upper end into the bottom of the first cavity.

there being an upwardly projecting rim around the opening of the second cavity and extending slightly into the first cavity, with the upper level of the liquid food product lying below the top of the rim and the solid state food product plugging the opening between the cavities.

2. A food cup according to claim 1 having a support member, a bead on the support member being adapted to clip into a recess formed in the upwardly projecting rim.

3. An open top food cup containing a food product in the solid state and a foodstuff product in a liquid state substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. portion 6. The diameter of the central aperture 7 is, as can be seen in the drawing, of substantially lesser diameter than that of the open end of the body. Also the diameter of the first portion 5 decreases from the open end to the central aperture 7. This permits a support surface 10 for ice-cream 8, surrounding the central aperture 7. As shown in the drawing, the support surface 10 is a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the rim 2. The portion 6 of the body 1 which defines the second cavity is illustrated in the drawing as slightly projecting into the first cavity defined by the portion 5, for the abovementioned reason. An external annular recess 11 is provided in the external surface of the portion 6 of the body 1, surrounding the central aperture 7. The annular recess 11 receives an enlarged leading end bead 12 of a cylindrical support member 13 of thermoformed plastics material, which has an annular flange base 14, serving to support the cup, the bead 12 clipping into the annular recess 11. The cup may equally be formed of injection-moulded plastics material in a single piece. The cup can also be coloured, the parts 13 and 14 constituting a stem can have different colours to that of the portion 5. For filling the cup, first a liquid 9, e.g. a fruit syrup with a high content of sugar and also containing alcohol. is brought into the second cavity defined by the portion 6. However, the level of the liquid is below the recess 11. Thereupon ice-cream 8 is filled into the first cavity defined by the portion 5 in such a manner that it flows on to the liquid without becoming mixed with it. After the cup is closed, the ice-cream is frozen as usual and in this solid or nearly solid condition it now acts as a plug for the second cavity in which the syrup remains liquid despite the low temperature. At the moment of consumption of the product the cup is turned over on to a plate, the ice-cream thaws from the portion 5 and falls down on to the plate and the liquid 9 flows because of this over the ice-cream. Dispensing of the product in the first cavity can be assisted by deforming the flexible portion 5. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An open top food cup containing a food product in the solid state in a first cavity which has an opening forming the open top, and also containing a food product in a liquid state in a second cavity in the base of the cup which is substantially smaller than the first cavity and which opens at its upper end into the bottom of the first cavity.

there being an upwardly projecting rim around the opening of the second cavity and extending slightly into the first cavity, with the upper level of the liquid food product lying below the top of the rim and the solid state food product plugging the opening between the cavities.

2. A food cup according to claim 1 having a support member, a bead on the support member being adapted to clip into a recess formed in the upwardly projecting rim.

3. An open top food cup containing a food product in the solid state and a foodstuff product in a liquid state substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.