GB1602999A

GB1602999A - Drinking cups containing beverage concentrate

Info

Publication number: GB1602999A
Application number: GB2500078A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CROSS PAPERWARE Ltd
Current assignee: CROSS PAPERWARE Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-11-18
Also published as: EP0006014A1

Description

PATENT SPECIFICATION

( 11) 1602999 ( 21) Application No 25000/78 ( 22) Filed 31 May 1978 ( 19) 1 ( 44) Complete Specification published 18 Nov 1981 ( 51) INT CL 3 A 47 G 19/23 ( 52) Index at acceptance I A 4 A l Bl 1 B 2 l B 4 A I Cl 2 B 6 D ( 72) Inventor ADOLF WAHL ( 54) IMPROVEMENTS IN DRINKING CUPS CONTAINING BEVERAGE CONCENTRATE ( 71) We, CROSS PAPERWARE LIMITED, a British Company, of P O Box No 3, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU 6 3 HX, 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:-

This invention concerns improvements in drinking cups containing beverage concentrate, and more especially to drinking cups of the disposable kind which are intended to be stacked one within another, each containing its own measured does of soluble or infusible beverage concentrate.

In order to enable the convenient dispensing of instant beverages, and also to reduce pilferage of beverage concentrate when stored in bulk, it has previously been proposed to provide a separate dose of beverage concentrate in each of a plurality of stacked disposable vending cups The concentrate is stored in powdered or granular form in each cup, and although this reduces the labour involved in dispensing instant beverages and provides portion control, it has the disadvantage that the stacks of cups can become soiled during storage and service, by leakage of the powdered concentrate Also, since the concentrate is stored loosely within each cup, it is still possible for the concentrate to be pilfered by systematic reduction of the individual doses provided within each cup, before dispensing of the beverage.

3 Y In order to avoid the above disadvantages it has further been proposed to seal the beverage concentrate within each cup by means of a partition of filter paper or the like, which retains the concentrate within the base of the cup but permits water when added to the cup, to dissolve or infuse the beverage concentrate Such an arrangement has the disadvantage, however, that vending cups provided with the required filter partition are expensive to manufacture and also the membrane is not strong enough to support a nest of cups without breakage or damage when packed stored and during transit, and also that since the partition reduces the circulation of water relatively to the beverage concentrate, the solubility, or infusibility, of the concentrate is obstructed.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved vending cup/beverage concentrate combination, 55 which avoids or at least reduces the above disadvantages.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a drinking cup of the type adapted to be nested within a stack of 60 identical cups, said cup including a measured dose of beverage concentrate provided in the form of a particulate product which is compressed into a semi-porous coherent mass within the cup at the base thereof, and the 65 internal side wall of the cup adjacent the base thereof being so shaped that the said mass of beverage concentrate is retained within the cup by interlocking with said side wall whilst when identical cups are stacked 70 one within another the base of each stacked cup is supported out of contact with the mass of beverage concentrate contained in the cup below.

In a cup in accordance with the invention, 75 the fact that the beverage concentrate is in the form of a coherent mass and is out of contact with the base of a cup stacked above it provides for secure retention of the concentrate within the cup, without the disadvan 80 tage of soiling of the underside of the base of the upper cup, which is a considerable problem, especially in the case of cups moulded from expanded polystyrene which tend to accumulate electrostatic charges 85 causing the attraction thereto of any loose particular material.

A cup in accordance with the invention may incorporate a stacking ledge adjacent the base wall and above the level of said mass 90 of concentrate, the arrangement being such that the base of an identical upper cup when resting upon said stacking ledge encloses a spaced within which the said mass of concentrate is retained 95 Preferably the cup wall is so shaped that an air space is defined between the walls of identical nested cups, said space extending from the upper rim of each cup to a region adjacent the upper edge of the stacking ledge 100 R 1,602,999 and being bridged by abutment means preventing relative lateral movement of the nested cups This arrangement promotes an air flow into the space between the bases of stacked cups, when the cups are separated from one another, thus preventing suction and air turbulence that might otherwise occur within this region, causing undesired displacement of the beverage concentrate.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig 1 is an elevation partly in section of a cup in accordance with the invention shown in stacked relationship with another similar cup, Fig 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig 1, and Fig 3 is a side elevation of the base of a cup as shown in Fig 1.

Referring to the drawing, a cup in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is formed from moulded expanded polystyrene, and is constructed so that identical cups can be stacked one within another, the base of one cup resting upon a stacking ledge within, and adjacent the base of the cup below, in known manner Within the base of the cup is provided a mass 5 of semi-porous beverage concentrate, which is of soluble or infusible material, the mass 5 being arranged to interlock with undercut recesses 3 arranged around the inner wall of the cup at the base, below the stacking ledge The formation of the mass 5 in such a manner that it interlocks with the recesses 3 is achieved by placing the beverage concentrate within the cup in the form of a particular, powdered or granular product, and then compressing the product into a coherent mass which extends into the recesses 3.

The mass 5 is maintained out of contact with the base of the cup above it, as illustrated in the drawing, to avoid soiling of the base of the upper cup Moreover, as shown more especially in Fig 1, an air space is arranged to extend between the walls of the nested cups from the region of the stacking ledge to the upper rim of the cup, said air space being formed by grooves 4 around the periphery of the base of the cup, and a space 6 between the walls of the cups.

The cups are held in spaced relationship to define the space 6 by means of pips 1 which project from within the upper margin of the inner wall of the cup and serve as abutments to hold the cups against relative lateral movement Likewise, a shoulder 2 within the cup just above the stacking ledge serves to form an abutment for engaging the base of a cup nested therein, and likewise to prevent lateral movement The air space formed by the groove 4 and the space 6 serves to enable a flow or air into the free space 7 between the bases of the nested cups, upon separation of the cups, and therefore prevents the displacement of the beverage concentrate 5 due to the effects of suction or air turbulence induced by relative movement of the cups.

As will be seen from Fig 2, the recesses 3 and the grooves 4 in the lower side wall of the cup are staggered relatively to one another in order to maintain the thickness of the cup wall and avoid weakening of the cup.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1 A drinking cup of the type adapted to be nested within a stack of identical cups, said cup including a measured dose of beverage concentrate provided in the form of 80 a particular product which is compressed into a semi-porous coherent mass within the cup at the base thereof, and the internal side wall of the cup adjacent the base thereof being so shaped that the said mass of 85 beverage concentrate is retained within the cup by interlocking with said side wall whilst when identical cups are stacked one within another the base of each stacked cup is supported out of contact with the mass of 90 beverage concentrate contained in the cup below.

2 A cup as claimed in Claim 1, in which the said internal side wall of said cup incorporates a stacking ledge adjacent the 95 base wall and above the level of said mass of concentrate, the arrangement being such that the base of an identical upper cup when resting upon said stacking ledge encloses a space within which the said mass of concen 100 trate is retained.

3 A cup as claimed in Claim 2, in which the cup wall is so shaped that an air space is defined between the walls of identical nested cups said space extending from the upper rim 105 of each cup to a region adjacent the upper edge of the stacking ledge and being bridged by abutment means preventing relative lateral movement of the nested cups, said space forming a channel for admitting air between 110 the bases of stacked cups during separation thereof.

4 A cup as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the external rim of the cup adjacent the base thereof has a plurality of circumferentially 115 spaced recesses forming continuations of said air space.

A cup as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the internal side wall of the cup has a plurality of undercut recesses adjacent the 120 base of the cup, said recesses interlocking with said mass of beverage concentrate.

6 A cup as claimed in Claim 5, formed of moulded expanded polystyrene, and in which said external and internal recesses are 125 staggered relatively to one another circumferentially.

7 A drinking cup substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings 130 3 1,602,999 3 GEE & CO, Chartered Patent Agents, Chancery House, Chancery Lane, London WC 2 A l QU, and 39 Epsom Road, Guildford, Surrey.

Agents for the Applicants.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd -1981 Published at The Patent Office, Southampton Buildings, London, WC 2 A IAY, from which copies may be obtained.