GB2091538A - Stacked cups for vending apparatus - Google Patents

Stacked cups for vending apparatus Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2091538A
GB2091538A GB8102990A GB8102990A GB2091538A GB 2091538 A GB2091538 A GB 2091538A GB 8102990 A GB8102990 A GB 8102990A GB 8102990 A GB8102990 A GB 8102990A GB 2091538 A GB2091538 A GB 2091538A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
cup
stack
cups
cover
ingredients
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8102990A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
INSTA BRU DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Original Assignee
INSTA BRU DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by INSTA BRU DEVELOPMENTS Ltd filed Critical INSTA BRU DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority to GB8102990A priority Critical patent/GB2091538A/en
Publication of GB2091538A publication Critical patent/GB2091538A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • B65D21/0219—Containers with a closure presenting stacking elements the closure presenting projecting peripheral elements receiving or surrounding the bottom or peripheral elements projecting from the bottom of a superimposed 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
    • B65D57/00—Internal frames or supports for flexible articles, e.g. stiffeners; Separators for articles packaged in stacks or groups, e.g. for preventing adhesion of sticky articles
    • B65D57/002—Separators for articles packaged in stacks or groups, e.g. stacked or nested
    • B65D57/003—Separators for articles packaged in stacks or groups, e.g. stacked or nested for horizontally placed articles, i.e. for stacked or nested articles
    • 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
    • B65D43/00—Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
    • B65D43/02—Removable lids or covers
    • B65D43/0202—Removable lids or covers without integral tamper element
    • B65D43/0214—Removable lids or covers without integral tamper element secured only by friction or gravity
    • B65D43/022—Removable lids or covers without integral tamper element secured only by friction or gravity only on the inside, or a part turned to the inside, 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
    • B65D2543/00018—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
    • B65D2543/00444—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
    • B65D2543/00509—Cup
    • 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
    • B65D2543/00546—NO contact

Abstract

A stack of cups 1 each containing ingredients 2 is arranged with the bottom of one cup of each adjacent pair of cups in the stack engaging in a cup-shaped cover 4 inserted between each adjacent pair of cups in the stack, the cover engaging in the top of the lower cup of the pair and defining a recess in which the bottom of the upper cup of the pair is received. The covers 4 prevent ingredients falling from or being contaminated within cups in the stack, and by selecting an appropriately deep cover the overall height of the stack is not significantly greater than what its height would be if the covers were omitted. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stacked cups for vending apparatus The present invention relates to vending apparatus.
Vending machines are generally of one of two types. In the first type ingredients are dispensed into an empty disposable cup, the ingredients being selected by the customer. In the second type, the ingredients are supplied already in a disposable cup, selection of a particular product being achieved by selecting a cup from a particular cup dispenser. This second type is known as an "in cup" type machine and the present invention relates to vending systems of the "in cup" type.
With "in cup" systems cups are supplied in stacks of say forty, the top cup being capped to avoid the ingredients within it falling out and the stack being enclosed in a plastics tube to prevent contamination. The cups are closely engaged together. The stacks are inserted in a vending machine which is adapted to drop the bottom cup in the stack when a cup of the type contained in that stack is selected.
The "in cup" system has been widely used for vending drinks when the volume of the ingredients is relatively small. There is now an increasing demand for snacks of the type requiring just the addition of water to ingredients filling a cup to say two-thirds of capacity. The "in cup" system cannot be easily applied with such snacks as engagement between adjacent cups in the stack is relatively loose given that the bottom of one cup cannot penetrate very far into the next lower cup.
This means that in transit ingredients can fall out of the cups, that if there is any damage to the plastics tube in which the cup stacks are supplied an undesirable amount of moisture can reach the ingredients, that when dropped from the vending machine the cup can easily fall over and spill its ingredients, and that when in the vending machine stack cups can become tilted and jam in or fall inadvertently from the vending machine.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved in cup vending apparatus.
According to the present invention, there is provided vending apparatus comprising a stack of cups each containing ingredients with the bottom of one cup of each adjacent pair of cups in the stack engaging in the top of the other cup of the pair, characterised in that a cup-shaped cover is inserted in the stack between each adjacent pair of cups, the cover engaging in the top of the lower cup of the pair and defining a recess in which the bottom of the upper cup of the pair is received.
With this arrangement ingredients cannot fall from or be contaminated within cups in the stack.
In addition by selecting an appropriately deep cover the overall height of the stack is not materially increased.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a two-cup stack in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a section through the cover shown in the cups of Fig. 1.
Referring to Fig. 1, each of the two illustrated plastics cups 1 is partly filled with ingredients 2 of the type which make a snack meal when mixed with water. The lip 3 of each cup is rolled over to define a stiffened rounded edge which projects outwards relative to the cup wall.
Each cup 1 is closed by a cup-shaped cover 4 details of which will be apparent from the section of Fig. 2. The cover has an upper rim 5 connected to the main body 6 by a flange 7, and a flat base 8.
The rim 5 is a tight fit in the cup 1 (Fig. 1). The depth of the cover is such that the base 8 is located just above the level of the ingredients in the cup so that as many cups as possible can be placed in a stack of any particular height.
A conventional vending apparatus can be used to dispense the illustrated cups. One such apparatus comprises a mechanism which supports the bottom cup in the stack by engaging the cup rim 3. When a vending operation is required, the mechanism releases the bottom cup and engages the next cup in the stack, the released cup falling freely to a position in which it can be picked up by the purchaser. The cover is then removed and water is added by the purchaser to the ingredients in the cup. It will be noted that the rim 5 of the cover does not project outwards relative to the cup lip 3 and therefore does not interfere with the normal operation of the vending mechanism.
The cover can then be used as a receptacle for receiving a vended amount of additive in the form of seasoning. The cover may also be used as a saucer placed under the cup.
When the cover is inserted, the main body 6 is spaced from the cup body as a result of the provision of the flange 7. This means that the bottom of the next cup in the stack is accurately located and cannot slide sideways appreciably.
The stability of the stack is significantly improved with a resultant improvement in vending reliability.
The covers ensure that ingredients cannot fall from the cups either in transit or during vending and prevent contamination of the ingredients.
1. A container for dispensing from a stack of identical containers, the container comprising a cup intended to be partly filled with a predetermined volume of ingredient before being dispensed, characterised in that the container also comprises a cup-shaped cover which may be engaged in the cup to define therewith a closed compartment beneath an open recess which recess is shaped to receive the bottom of an identical cup, the volume of said compartment being substantially equal to said predetermined volume.
2. A stack of containers according to claim 1, each said cup being partly filled with said predetermined volume of ingredient and having a said cover engaged therein, wherein for each adjacent pair of containers in the stack the bottom
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Stacked cups for vending apparatus The present invention relates to vending apparatus. Vending machines are generally of one of two types. In the first type ingredients are dispensed into an empty disposable cup, the ingredients being selected by the customer. In the second type, the ingredients are supplied already in a disposable cup, selection of a particular product being achieved by selecting a cup from a particular cup dispenser. This second type is known as an "in cup" type machine and the present invention relates to vending systems of the "in cup" type. With "in cup" systems cups are supplied in stacks of say forty, the top cup being capped to avoid the ingredients within it falling out and the stack being enclosed in a plastics tube to prevent contamination. The cups are closely engaged together. The stacks are inserted in a vending machine which is adapted to drop the bottom cup in the stack when a cup of the type contained in that stack is selected. The "in cup" system has been widely used for vending drinks when the volume of the ingredients is relatively small. There is now an increasing demand for snacks of the type requiring just the addition of water to ingredients filling a cup to say two-thirds of capacity. The "in cup" system cannot be easily applied with such snacks as engagement between adjacent cups in the stack is relatively loose given that the bottom of one cup cannot penetrate very far into the next lower cup. This means that in transit ingredients can fall out of the cups, that if there is any damage to the plastics tube in which the cup stacks are supplied an undesirable amount of moisture can reach the ingredients, that when dropped from the vending machine the cup can easily fall over and spill its ingredients, and that when in the vending machine stack cups can become tilted and jam in or fall inadvertently from the vending machine. It is an object of the present invention to provide improved in cup vending apparatus. According to the present invention, there is provided vending apparatus comprising a stack of cups each containing ingredients with the bottom of one cup of each adjacent pair of cups in the stack engaging in the top of the other cup of the pair, characterised in that a cup-shaped cover is inserted in the stack between each adjacent pair of cups, the cover engaging in the top of the lower cup of the pair and defining a recess in which the bottom of the upper cup of the pair is received. With this arrangement ingredients cannot fall from or be contaminated within cups in the stack. In addition by selecting an appropriately deep cover the overall height of the stack is not materially increased. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a two-cup stack in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a section through the cover shown in the cups of Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 1, each of the two illustrated plastics cups 1 is partly filled with ingredients 2 of the type which make a snack meal when mixed with water. The lip 3 of each cup is rolled over to define a stiffened rounded edge which projects outwards relative to the cup wall. Each cup 1 is closed by a cup-shaped cover 4 details of which will be apparent from the section of Fig. 2. The cover has an upper rim 5 connected to the main body 6 by a flange 7, and a flat base 8. The rim 5 is a tight fit in the cup 1 (Fig. 1). The depth of the cover is such that the base 8 is located just above the level of the ingredients in the cup so that as many cups as possible can be placed in a stack of any particular height. A conventional vending apparatus can be used to dispense the illustrated cups. One such apparatus comprises a mechanism which supports the bottom cup in the stack by engaging the cup rim 3. When a vending operation is required, the mechanism releases the bottom cup and engages the next cup in the stack, the released cup falling freely to a position in which it can be picked up by the purchaser. The cover is then removed and water is added by the purchaser to the ingredients in the cup. It will be noted that the rim 5 of the cover does not project outwards relative to the cup lip 3 and therefore does not interfere with the normal operation of the vending mechanism. The cover can then be used as a receptacle for receiving a vended amount of additive in the form of seasoning. The cover may also be used as a saucer placed under the cup. When the cover is inserted, the main body 6 is spaced from the cup body as a result of the provision of the flange 7. This means that the bottom of the next cup in the stack is accurately located and cannot slide sideways appreciably. The stability of the stack is significantly improved with a resultant improvement in vending reliability. The covers ensure that ingredients cannot fall from the cups either in transit or during vending and prevent contamination of the ingredients. CLAIMS
1. A container for dispensing from a stack of identical containers, the container comprising a cup intended to be partly filled with a predetermined volume of ingredient before being dispensed, characterised in that the container also comprises a cup-shaped cover which may be engaged in the cup to define therewith a closed compartment beneath an open recess which recess is shaped to receive the bottom of an identical cup, the volume of said compartment being substantially equal to said predetermined volume.
2. A stack of containers according to claim 1, each said cup being partly filled with said predetermined volume of ingredient and having a said cover engaged therein, wherein for each adjacent pair of containers in the stack the bottom of the cup of one container is received in the recess defined by the cover and cup of the other container.
3. A cover for fitting to a cup to form a container according to claim 1.
4. A method for forming a stack of containers according to claim 2, wherein each cup is filled with the said predetermined volume of ingredient, a cover is engaged in each cup to define a compartment enclosing the ingredient and an open recess above the compartment, and the resulting containers are stacked one upon another with the bottom of the cup of one container of each adjacent pair of containers engaging in the recess defined by the cover and cup of the other container.
5. A container substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB8102990A 1981-01-28 1981-01-28 Stacked cups for vending apparatus Withdrawn GB2091538A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8102990A GB2091538A (en) 1981-01-28 1981-01-28 Stacked cups for vending apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8102990A GB2091538A (en) 1981-01-28 1981-01-28 Stacked cups for vending apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2091538A true GB2091538A (en) 1982-08-04

Family

ID=10519364

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8102990A Withdrawn GB2091538A (en) 1981-01-28 1981-01-28 Stacked cups for vending apparatus

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2091538A (en)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2206276A (en) * 1987-05-27 1989-01-05 Nabisco Brands Inc Food container
GB2307633A (en) * 1995-11-28 1997-06-04 Amt Enterprises Ltd Amt Espres A lid for a cup
GB2358344A (en) * 1999-12-10 2001-07-25 Flight Design Ltd Vessel containing an instant beverage, medicine or foodstuff
EP2098461A1 (en) * 2008-03-07 2009-09-09 TECNOFORM S.r.l. An element for stacking hollow objects
ITNA20080040A1 (en) * 2008-07-15 2010-01-16 Avino Gennaro D SPECIAL SINGLE-USE STACKABLE LID, FOR TAKE-AWAY COFFEE.
EP2575426A1 (en) * 2010-06-07 2013-04-10 Debco Pty Ltd Stackable containers and associated method for the transport of plants
US11370593B2 (en) * 2019-07-23 2022-06-28 Jaclyn Nicole Andberg Segmented container volume apparatus

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2206276A (en) * 1987-05-27 1989-01-05 Nabisco Brands Inc Food container
GB2307633A (en) * 1995-11-28 1997-06-04 Amt Enterprises Ltd Amt Espres A lid for a cup
GB2307633B (en) * 1995-11-28 1999-12-29 Amt Enterprises Ltd Amt Espres Sip-through lid allowing stacking of take-away cups
GB2358344A (en) * 1999-12-10 2001-07-25 Flight Design Ltd Vessel containing an instant beverage, medicine or foodstuff
EP2098461A1 (en) * 2008-03-07 2009-09-09 TECNOFORM S.r.l. An element for stacking hollow objects
ITNA20080040A1 (en) * 2008-07-15 2010-01-16 Avino Gennaro D SPECIAL SINGLE-USE STACKABLE LID, FOR TAKE-AWAY COFFEE.
EP2575426A1 (en) * 2010-06-07 2013-04-10 Debco Pty Ltd Stackable containers and associated method for the transport of plants
EP2575426A4 (en) * 2010-06-07 2013-04-10 Debco Pty Ltd Stackable containers and associated method for the transport of plants
US11370593B2 (en) * 2019-07-23 2022-06-28 Jaclyn Nicole Andberg Segmented container volume apparatus

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5167973A (en) Comestibles container
US4193494A (en) Cup and package of cups
RU2557749C2 (en) Coffee beverage preparation system, ground coffee package cartridge for usage with such system, method for beverage preparation by means of such system and method for ground coffee supplying from above ground coffee package cartridge
CA1045588A (en) Cup and package of cups
US4950083A (en) Packaging for a liquid composition which is ready for use, produced from a concentrated liquid composition, and method for its implementation
KR900000264B1 (en) Dispensing closure for spouted containen and cap
US4394943A (en) Tilting trap chamber
KR20170116907A (en) A device of output have a capsule ejector
US4836424A (en) Container closure and dispenser for granular materials
GB2091538A (en) Stacked cups for vending apparatus
JP2002136428A (en) Measuring instrument and dispenser provided with such instrument
US3247940A (en) Machine for vending cups containing powdered food
WO1991004465A1 (en) Dosing system and method
US8002153B2 (en) Powder food dispenser
KR102420951B1 (en) Pouches with Multiple Storage Spaces
US4934525A (en) Coffee sampler container and assembly
US10029821B2 (en) Retainable scoop and container
US2172547A (en) Dispensing container
CN109091000B (en) Non-stirring type automatic cup pouring and drinking method
EP0254446A1 (en) Cup for the preparation of beverages
WO2014207514A1 (en) Method, cartridge and apparatus for mixing beverages
EP0077861B1 (en) Dispensing and measuring device, especially for powdery products
EP0684459A1 (en) Measuring scoop
JPS59501129A (en) Container dispensing equipment especially for automatic food dispensing machines
CN106455851B (en) Beverage preparation machine equipped with a refillable multi-dose container

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)