GB2339675A

GB2339675A - Cup holder formed from a blank

Info

Publication number: GB2339675A
Application number: GB9815686A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julian David Kyrle Money
Original assignee: Pethick and Money Ltd
Current assignee: Pethick and Money Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-17
Filing date: 1998-07-17
Publication date: 2000-02-09
Also published as: GB9815686D0

Description

2339675 IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CUP HOLDERS This invention relates

to a cup holder comprising a sleeve and integral handle, which can be flat packed for ease of storage when not in use, and which provides a safe and comfortable means for drinking soups or food, in particular, excessively hot or cold beverages, when using the cup holder in combination with a cup.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a blank for forming a cup or beaker holder comprising a sheet of card or other similar flexible material, having a main portion shaped to form a sleeve to encircle the cup and overlapping end portions shaped to form a handle projecting outwardly of the sleeve when adhered together, and a lug or lugs formed by a cut or cuts in the wall of the sleeve adjacent the end portions to be pressed out of said main portion of the blank to interlock with the handle to brace the handle against flexing with respect to the holder.

Preferably, the main portion of the blank is sector shaped.

Preferably, the blank has crease lines between the end portions and main portion and midway along the main portion so that when the blank is formed into a cup holder with the end portions adhered together, the holder can be folded flat.

Advantageously, a blank wherein the lug is formed by cuts extending from the crease line into the main portion of the blank to either side of the crease line.

2 Preferably, a cup holder formed from a blank in.which said end portions are overlapped and adhered together to form the handle, with the main portion of the sheet between the ends forming the sleeve, the sleeve having a lug formed by a cut in the wall of the sleeve which interlocks with the handle to brace the handle against flexing with respect to the holder.

In one specific embodiment, a cup holder formed form a blank wherein the end portions have apertures adjacent the main portion to receive the fingers of a user when formed into a handle.

Preferably, wherein the lugs are located within the aperture adjacent the main portion such that the the top fingers of a user rests on the flat surface of the lug and not on the edge of the handle.

Preferably, a cup holder wherein the handle has a recess to locate the lug in the handle recess.

Preferably, a cup holder wherein both the handle and lug have recesses to locate the lug with the handle.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows the cup holder in the flat packed condition; Figure 2 shows the cup holder opened out with a lug pushed out to hold the handle securely in place; Figure 3 shows a cup inside the cup holder; and Figure 4 shows a sheet of card used to construct the cup holder. 5 As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the cup holder 1 has a sleeve 2, a handle 3, a lug 4, a handle aperture 5 and a lug aperture 8. In addition, the handle 3 has an ergonomic design to ease griping of the handle. In this particular case, this comprises two sequential curved profiles 6 on the inner edge of the handle to comfortably engage with two fingers from the holding hand.

The sleeve can be flat packed as a result of creases lines 15 and 16, with the handle 3 being located and extending along crease line 15. Flat packing is also facilitated by the crease line 17 in the lug 4.

In the opened out condition shown in Figure 2, the lug 4 has been pushed out such that the lug aperture 8 engages with the handle aperture 5 and thus locates the lug 4 in the handle 3 to provide support to the handle 3. The lug 4 does not necessarily need to be located below the top of the handle 3, as shown in Figure 2. However, one particular advantage of the version of the lug 4 located in this position is to provide comfort to the user of the cup holder 1 by providing a flat surface on which the top finger of the gripping hand can make contact. Thus, the top finger does not engage with the relatively sharp edge of the handle 3.

As can also be seen in Figure 1, the bottom 4 opening 9 has edges 7 which have a concave profile and the top opening 10 has edges 11 which are convex. This permits the sleeve 2 to be opened into a generally conical configuration. In addition, the top opening 10 has a larger diameter than the bottom opening 9, and this provides a tapered sleeve 2 for secure fitting of an appropriately shaped beverage container 12 (Figure 3).

The sleeve 2 can be opened by simply applying inward pressure on the two crease lines 15 and 16. The lug 4 can then be pushed out to engage with the handle 3. The cup holder 1 is now in a condition in which a beverage container or cup 12 can be placed through the top opening 10. Alternatively, the pressure can be reapplied to crease lines 15 and 16, to open the top opening 10 even further, prior to insertion of the beverage container 12 through the top opening 10.

Figure 4 displays the handle aperture 5 and the lug aperture 8 with increased clarity. This figure shows the sheet of card 30 which is folded along crease line 16, located in the radial centre of the sector shaped body 20. The lip 21, hinged to one particular radial edge of the sector shaped body 20 by the crease line 15, can then be attached to the opposing radial edge of the sector shaped body 20. At the same time, the two handles 3 on both the radial edges may be joined.

As can be seen from Figure 4, a lug 4 is located on both radial edges of the sector shaped body 20. On the radial edge with the lip 21, the lug 4 is found to extend across both the lip 21 and the sector shaped body 20, with a central crease line 17 extending across the lug 4 corresponding to the crease line 15.

Thus, when the sector shaped body 20 is folded across crease line 16, and the lip 21 joined to the opposing radial edge, the lugs 4, from both radial edges of the sector shaped body 20, can be attached to each other and yet remain free to move out of plane of the circumference of the resulting sleeve 2. In this particular case, a portion of the lug 4 on lip 21 is attached to the front of the lug 4 from the opposing radial edge.

The radial edges of the sector shaped body 20, the handles 3 and the lugs 4 located on each of these radial edges, may be attached to themselves using for example an adhesive.

An advantage of the cup holder 1, is that it can be flat packed, thus being space efficient for storage. In addition, the flat packed nature of the cup holder 1, or the sheet of card 30 used to construct the cup holder 1, would facilitate printing upon their surfaces. Thus, unprinted cups can be used, allowing a cost advantage to be realised.

The invention thus provides a cup holder with a rigid handle which allows holding of a beverage container away from the drinkers hand. In addition, it is space efficient for storage, simple to construct, and provides a flat surface upon which graphics may be printed with ease.

It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, multiple lugs may be used or an additional I handle may be attached to the sheet of card.

7

Claims

1. A blank for forming a cup or beaker holder comprising a sheet of card or other similar flexible material, having a main portion shaped to form a sleeve to encircle the cup and overlapping end portions shaped to form a handle projecting outwardly of the sleeve when adhered together, and a lug or lugs formed by a cut or cuts in the wall of the sleeve adjacent the end portions to be pressed out of said main portion of the blank to interlock with the handle to brace the handle against flexing with respect to the holder.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main portion of the blank is sector shaped.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the blank has crease lines between the end portions and main portion and midway along the main portion so that when the blank is formed into a cup holder with the end portions adhered together, the holder can be folded flat.

4. A blank as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the lug is formed by cuts extending from the crease line into the main portion of the blank to either side of the crease line.

5. A cup holder formed from a blank as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which said end portions are overlapped and adhered together to form the handle, with the main portion of the sheet between the ends forming the sleeve, the sleeve having a lug formed by 8 a cut in the wall of the sleeve which interlocks with -the handle to brace the handle against flexing with respect to the holder.

6. A cup holder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the end portions have apertures adjacent the main portion to receive the fingers of a user when formed into a handle.

7. A cup holder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lugs are located within the aperture adjacent the main portion such that the the top fingers of a user rests on the flat surface of the lug and not on the edge of the handle.

8. A cup holder as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the handle has a recess to locate the lug in the handle recess.

9. A cup holder as claimed in claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein both the handle and lug have recesses to locate the lug with the handle.

10. A blank for forming a cup holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A cup holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.