GB2420265A - Biodegradable beverage containers having integral lids - Google Patents

Abstract

A biodegradable beverage container or container for liquids comprising a cup portion 2; and a lid portion 3, wherein the cup portion 2 and the lid portion 3 are both made of a biodegradable material and the lid portion 3 is formed integrally with the cup portion 2. The cup and lid are connected by a hinge 4 formed by a web of the biodegradable material. The container may be moulded from pulped plant fibres, which may be pulped reed or pulped sugar cane. The hinge 4 may be weakened to allow the lid to be torn off. The cup may have a coating to reduce condensation, which may be a biodegradable algae coating.

Description

-1- 2420265

BIODEGRADABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINERS

HAVING INTEGRAL LIDS

The present invention relates to biodegradable containers for liquids having integral lids, for example, disposable containers for beverages.

Many items are currently sold in disposable containers having a base for containing the product and a lid to cover, and also usually a seal opening in the case of beverage containers. The "base" of a beverage container is usually in the form of a cup and for takeaway packages may consist of a deep tray. Plastics, paper, and foam are well known materials that are used for containers for beverages, takeaway foods, and other goods. The materials used are often selected on the basis of price, ease of manufacture, required properties of the finished product and so on.

Often, the base and lid are constructed of different materials as they have differing degrees of complexity, and different properties are required. For instance a beverage container will often be made of paper or foam for insulation and cheapness of manufacture, whereas the lid may be plastic to allow a more complex shape to be moulded and provide the resilience required to snap-fit onto the cup to seal it.

Many containers are designed to be used once and discarded. There is therefore a growing demand for materials that are environmentally friendly in order to make the containers recyclable or biodegradable. Many plastics are not recyclable, and those that are need to be collected and processed appropriately. Paper containers are not always biodegradable due to the need for coatings to give resistance to liquids or grease from food or beverages. Additionally, any effort to recycle is hindered by the use of different materials for the base and the lid of the container, which would generally need separating and sorting.

Many relatively new materials are available to meet the demand for environmentally friendly products. It is known to use biodegradable materials made from pulped birch wood, from limestone and potato starch and from pulped reed or sugar cane. Biodegradable materials have advantages over recyclable materials, as recyclable materials require collection and processing for the environmental advantages to be realised, and therefore are of no benefit if they are discarded as litter for example, on a high street or outside a station. By contrast biodegradable materials will break down, sometimes in just a matter of few weeks where conditions are right.

It is known to use biodegradable materials for cups, plates, bowls, boxes and so on. These can be combined with lids made from another material, or it is known to make both the base and the lid from the biodegradable material. For example biodegradable soup bowls with lids are available. Biodegradable boxes with integral lids are also known, such as sandwich or burger boxes made from a single moulding with the lid and base connected by a hinge of the same material.

In recent years the boom in up-market coffee outlets and the increase in demand for takeaway food and beverages, as well as food safety legislation have combined to make the lid a key factor in beverage containers and has led to the development of new lid styles. The most commonly seen lid style is the sip-lid, a raised semi-dome incorporating a sip-through hole, usually oval in shape, enabling the consumer to sip the drink whilst on the move.

Although widely used, there are drawbacks to this design. The lid has to be removed for access to the beverage, for example to add sugar, or to stir the beverage.

This can cause further difficulties when the consumer is not able to put the lid or cup down, for example when standing or walking, as it becomes difficult to handle items like the lid, the cup and the sugar at the same time. When subjected to a fast or jerky motion, caused by movement of a car or Irain for example, a wave can build up and a jet of beverage, which is often hot, can shoot out of the sip-through hole onto the consumer or clothing. At best this will lead to mess and inconvenience, at worst it could result in injury due to scalding. When the lid is removed, for example to allow the beverage to cool, or if the consumer prefers to drink without using the sip-through hole, then there is the problem of disposing of the lid, or retaining it until a suitable opportunity to dispose of it arises. With the lid and cup being made from waxed paper and polystyrene respectively, the materials need to be separated before they can be recycled.

Common beverage container designs using a paper cup and plastic lid suffer the further disadvantage that the seam in the paper leads to an imperfect seal and can result in leaks.

The known cup and lid combinations are also generally produced by two separate entities, leading to two suppliers, two sets of deliveries, two orders and so on.

This adds to the complexity in managing the supply chain for beverage outlets.

Viewed from a first aspect, the present invention provides a beverage container/container for liquids comprising: a cup portion; and a lid portion; wherein the cup portion and the lid portion are both made of a biodegradable material; and further the lid portion is formed integrally with the cup portion.

The use of an integral lid enables the consumer to open the lid without needing to hold the lid separately to the cup, and thus access to the beverage is simple even if it is not possible to put the container down. As the consumer can open and close the container easily when necessary, without the inconvenience of a separate lid, then there is no requirement for a sip-through hole, and thus the lid when closed will eliminate the risk of spillage and scalding. The container is intended to be disposable in the sense of use once and throw away.

There is also provided a disposable beverage container/container for liquids comprising: a cup portion; and a lid portion; wherein the cup portion and the lid portion are both made of a biodegradable material; and further the lid portion is hingedly connected to the cup portion by a web of biodegradable material.

The use of a biodegradable material means that the design is environmentally friendly. This is especially advantageous for beverage containers as they are sold as disposable items in large numbers, and are often disposed of far from the point of sale. There is thus less opportunity for the vendor to collect and recycle beverage containers, and less opportunity for the consumer to recycle the beverage container.

Whilst other biodegradable articles are known, plates for example, the biodegradability of the articles present less of an advantage, as they are not carried around in large numbers and the consumer is less likely to dispose of them in the street, or in litter bins.

Other prior art is known disclosing the idea of providing an integral cup and lid arrangement. For example, it is known from US 5,667,094 to produce a plastic beverage container with a cup, a lid and a hinge connecting the cup and the lid. The present invention is characterised over such a beverage container by combining the use of biodegradable materials and a beverage container design with a cup and integral lid. Thus viewed from a second aspect, the present invention provides a disposable beverage container/container for liquids comprising: a cup portion with an integral lid portion; wherein: the container is formed from a biodegradable material.

The present invention provides the advantage that when the container is disposed of after it has been used, it will biodegrade rather than need to be sorted and sent off to a processing plant to be recycled. While this is a known advantage of biodegradable materials, its application to disposable beverage containers has not been realised previously and yet it could have a huge effect on the litter which is deposited on high streets or at railway stations.

Viewed from a third aspect, the present invention provides a container comprising: a base portion with an integral lid portion; the container being formed from a biodegradable material; wherein: the container is a disposable beverage container/container for liquids.

As mentioned above, it is known to make burger boxes having a base and a lid from biodegradable material. However the application of this technology to disposable beverage containers comprising a cup and a lid or to containers for liquids has not been realised. Some reasons for this are that the materials available have not been sufficiently impermeable to liquids such as hot beverages and that production costs have been too high. However the advantages of making beverage containers from such liquid impermeable materials are enormous in terms of the potential environmental benefits.

The beverage outlet benefits from the use of environmentally friendly materials as the consumer sees the vendor in a more positive light, without the extra effort that would be required by the vendor if purely recyclable products were used.

The liquid contained in the cup may be a beverage such as tea, coffee, soup, soft drinks and so on. The beverage may be hot or cold. The container may also be used for other purposes such as containing takeaway food, particularly foods containing a high proportion of liquid and grease, or other items that the consumer may require easy access to on the move. The container may be used for storage of food or other items.

The material may be any suitable biodegradable material. Preferably the biodegradable material is made from fibres such as pulped reed or pulped sugar cane.

Embodiments using biodegradable plastic are also envisaged. The material may also be recyclable in commonly used recycling processes, such as paper recycling.

The use of pulped reed or sugar cane is advantageous as these materials can be made impermeable to liquids and resistant to grease without the need for non- biodegradable coatings to be added. This material can be manufactured with suitable strength and insulating properties to form a cup for retaining a hot beverage. This material is also resilient enough for a hinge to be formed from the material and for the hinge to bend without breaking. The nature of the moulding process creates a rough and a smooth surface Preferably the rough surface is on the exterior of the cup to fl -7- provide grip for the consumer. The pulped reed or sugar cane is not subject to the material constraints applicable to the lids for normal paper and foam cups, and as a result any of the usual formations present in conventional beverage containers can be copied in the baked pulp material. The production process also avoids the need for a bonded seam to be present as with paper cups and so this seam-free cup reduces the possibility of leaks.

The cup and lid are connected by a resilient hinge. It may be possible to tear the hinge to separate the cup and lid, and the hinge may have a weakened portion or a notch to make this easier. The hinge may have ridges, grooves or other features to add strength or resilience, or to encourage bending in a localised region. Preferably the is resilient enough to hold the lid in an open position, and more preferably this open position will be such that the lid is held away from the consumers face when beverage is being drunk from the cup. Forming the cup and lid with an integral hinge from a material like pulped reed or sugar cane means forming the beverage container with the lid in the open position. This creates a natural tendency for the lid to spring open when released from the closed position.

Preferably the cup is of a shape and size to comfortably fit into the consumer's hand. Preferably the depth of the cup is substantially greater than the depth of the lid.

This is in contrast to known containers made from pulped reed or sugar cane, for example, burger boxes which tend to have a base and a lid of substantially the same depth. In most embodiments, the lid is substantially flat, for example having a profile depth of 1 cm or less. Preferably the depth of the base portion is greater than its width. This is in contrast to the known biodegradable soup bowls which are wide shallow bowls intended to be used at a table rather than carried in the hand to consume on the go. The shape of disposable cups and lids, having a tall narrow cup fl -8- and a relatively flat integral lid, can create difficulties for pulp moulding that are not encountered in the known burger boxes or singular item soup bowls and lids.

The capacity of the cup may suit hot drinks, or it may suit cold drinks, which are often served in larger sizes. Preferably the cup is intended for hot beverages and therefore has a capacity of between 200 and 400 ml. The size and shape of the cup may be designed with existing uses in mind, so that it fits existing equipment for filling, storing, transporting or other uses of the cup. The cup may have a round cross-section, an oval cross-section or the cross-section may be a polygon. The cross- sectional shape may change along the depth of the cup. The cup is preferably tapered in order to allow the beverage containers to stack one inside the other for ease of storing. The cup may include decorative features or consumer information.

The lid or the cup may have ridges to add strength or to enable the consumer to grip the container more easily. These feature may help to ensure that the cups stack together without becoming stuck, or ensure that they are not too loosely connected when they are stacked so that the stack can be easily transported without risk of cups becoming detached from the stack. For instance the outer surface of one ridge could engage with the inner surface of the other ridge.

The container is preferably moulded in one piece. However embodiments of a biodegradable cup having a biodegradable lid hinged thereto are envisaged in which the lid and cup are connected or assembled during manufacture.

Preferably the lid does not have a sip hole. One advantage of having a lid hinged to the cup is that it can be easily opened for drinking the beverage. This means that the cup stays sealed when the lid is closed and there is no danger of the consumer having ajet of hot beverage ejected from the sip hole when the cup is shaken, which makes it safer to use for hot drinks on the go.

fl -9- In a preferred embodiment the lid has a tab or flap placed substantially opposite the hinge This feature makes it easier for the consumer to open and close the lid. The tab or flap may be textured or shaped to increase the grip.

One problem which has been identified with pulped reed and sugar cane is the build up of condensation, particularly on the underside of the cup when it contains a hot beverage. This is caused through steam passing through the fibres of the cup and this can also soften the cup during use. The container may have a coating to reduce such condensation, which also needs to be biodegradable and preferably it is one made from algae. Such a coating can be sprayed on to the internal surface of the cup and is nontoxic.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: figures 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the invention: figure 1 is a side view with the lid partially open, figure 2 is a front view with the lid closed, figure 3 is a front view with the lid partially open, figure 4 is a cross-section with the lid closed showing a sealing arrangement, and figure 5 is a plan view with the lid closed, figures 6 to 10 show a second embodiment of the invention with views corresponding to figures 1 to 5,

figure 11 shows a prior art rim, and

figure 12 shows an example of the cup rim of the present invention.

Figures 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the invention. A beverage container 1 consists of a cup 2 and a lid 3 made from a biodegradable material. The lid 3 is integrally connected with the cup 2 via a hinge 4. The cup 2 includes a rimS, and the lid 3 has an edge 6. The hinge 4 joins the rimS of the cup 2 to the edge 6 of the lid 3. ()

The cup 2 and lid 3 engage to close the beverage container 1. The rim 5 engages against the edge 6 and fits into a recess 7 in the lid edge 6 to form a seal (as seen in figure 4) which prevents leakage in the event that the container is moved, shaken or knocked over etc. When the container I is sealed the lid 3 also helps to insulate the container.

When the cup 2 is opened the resilience of the hinge 4 will cause the lid 3 to stay open. The consumer can therefore access the beverage without the need for the lid 3 to be held or placed elsewhere. The open position could be that shown in figure 1, although it would be possible to design the hinge 4 to have a different lid opening angle.

As the beverage container 1 is made from biodegradable material, the container will break down naturally when it is disposed. Since the lid 3 and cup 2 are connected and made of the same material, they can be disposed of together in the same waste stream. The biodegradable material should be non-toxic and in this embodiment is pulped reed. Pulped sugar cane is a close alternative and therefore the comments in this specification regarding pulped reed should be considered to extend to pulped sugar cane. Other similar pulped fiberous materials, like bamboo, would also be suitable. The concept of a disposable biodegradable cup having an integral hinged lid can also extend to other materials like biodegradable plastics such as biodegradable polythene, modified corn starch, poly-lactic acid etc which would be formed by other methods such as blow or injection moulding.

The container 1 is moulded from pulped reed. The reed material is formed into a slurry of long chopped fibres. The slurry is preferably aqueous based and may contain a binder such as cellulose. In one embodiment, the slurry contains 98.2% reed pulp, 1% waterproof solution and 0 8% greaseproof solution mixed with water.

( ) -11- The sluny is poured into moulds which allow the water to drain out leaving the fibres on the surface of the mould. The moulds may comprise a layer of fabric on a porous former. The fibres can then be dried and baked, for example at about 300 C, to harden the material. Individual containers 1 are then cut out and trimmed from the baked material. Final decoration and coatings can be applied as necessary.

In the present invention, the cup 2 is provided with an integral lid 3 joined to the cup 2 by a hinge 4. Using pulped reed, it is possible to form the cup 2, lid 3 and hinge 4 in the same pulp moulding operation. The moulds have to be specially made with a deep section for the cup portion, a shallow section to the side for the lid portion, and a shallow joining section linking the cup 2 and lid 3 via the hinge 4. The fibres are set into this configuration, and once baked, become resilient. As a result the hinge 4 forms a leaf spring which has a natural position when the lid 3 is in its open configuration. In such embodiments, the hinge 4 will extend from the rim 5 to the edge 6 of the lid 3 because of the nature of the pulp moulding technique.

Figures 6 to 10 show an alternative embodiment, with the addition of a pull tab 8 on the lid In other respects this embodiment is similar to the first embodiment.

The tab 8 can be used by the consumer to open and close the lid. By using a tab it is easier to open the lid, as it affords a better grip on the lid. The risk of spillage when opening the lid is therefore reduced. The tab 8 can be placed such that when it is pulled, the lid edge 6 is deformed so that the recess 7 is widened, and it is easier to disengage the cup rimS from the recess 7. Thus the tab 8 can not only provide a better grip for opening the lid 3, it can also reduce the force needed to open the lid, and make the system simpler to use and reduce the chances of spilling the beverage.

The use of pulped reed results in a stiffer material than an equivalent paper cup. In conventional paper cups the rim is formed by rolling the wall of the cup into a ( ) -12- ring as shown in figure 11. This tubular ring around the top of the cup is necessary to give the paper cup sufficient rigidity, especially when the lid is removed. In contrast, the pulped reed cup I is formed with a rim having a semi-circular profile (as shown in figure 12) and yet the inherent rigidity of the material is still sufficient for a cup.

With such a rim profile it is possible to make the rim 5 more elastic than the paper cup's rim. This means that a more positive connection between the lid 3 and the cup 2 is possible leading to improved sealing. There is also more tolerance to allow for manufacturing dimensional enors between the cup 2 and the lid 3.

Pulped reed feels and looks similar to paper based products, and experience has shown that consumer prefer using these products to less natural feeling plastics or foams or similar. Additionally, the manufacturing process leaves the pulped reed containers with a smooth side and a textured side. It is possible to have either the textured side on the internal surface, or on the outer surface of the container. A textured outer surface adds grip and can aid the insulating properties, it can also be pleasing to the touch. A smooth inner surface gives a clean finish to the surface which would be in contact with liquid which is potentially more hygienic.

Alternatively, a smooth outer surface can be used to make printing easier.

In the embodiments described above, the hinge 4 is connected at the top of the rim 5 and to the bottom of the lid edge 6 (when viewed with the lid 3 closed). It is possible for the hinge 4 to be placed lower than the cup rim 5, for example by connecting the hinge 4 at a lower level by joining it to the bottom portion of the curled over section of the semi- circular rim 5. The curled over section could be extended downwards if required. The sealing portion of the rim may also be discontinued in the region where the hinge joins to assist manufacture. Similar arrangements can be used to vary the connection position of the hinge 4 relative to the ( ) lid edge 6. Varying the connecting position of the hinge 4 relative to the rim 5 and edge 6 allows greater freedom when designing the sealing arrangement.

Additionally, instead of having a recess 7 in the lid 3 to engage with the rim 5 (as in figures 4 and 9) it would be possible to seal the container using a recess formed in the cup rim 5 to engage with a protrusion on the edge 6 of the lid 3. Indeed any cooperating formations that can create a snap fitting configuration that substantially seals the contents of the cup could be used.

Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment the concept of a biodegradable container comprising a cup 2 and lid 3 can be achieved through moulding the cup 2 and lid 3 portions separately and joining them with a hinge 4 in a subsequent processing step. In one embodiment, the hinge 4 could comprise a web of biodegradable material that is bonded to one or both of the cup or lid. In another embodiment a mechanical connection is provided. For example, the lid 3 may be connected via the hinge 4 to a ring section, and the ring section can be fitted around the cup 2 in a later processing step. The lid is integral to the cup during use and disposal and therefore during use and disposal this system has similar advantages to the embodiments above that are manufactured in one piece. Thus the environmental benefits are not reduced.

Embodiments using this arrangement have advantages and disadvantages over the first and second embodiments described above. The need for separate lid and cup portions can complicate the manufacturing process and can result in there being two separate supply streams to the vendor. However, such arrangements allow the hinge 4 to be positioned further down the cup 2 as desired. When the hinge 4 is not required to be placed at a similar level as the rim 5, then there is a greater degree of freedom when designing the seal between the cup 2 and the lid 3. If a ring section is used then it can be extended to provide an extra insulating layer around the cup 2. Additionally it is much easier to apply different finishes or decoration to a separate cup and lid than to a single piece product. For example different colours could be used. With a one- piece cup and lid the textured or smooth surface must be the inside or outside of both portions. With a separate cup and lid it is possible to arrange the manufacturing process so that, for example, the rough surface is on the outside of the cup and on the inside of the lid.

Claims (16)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A beverage container or container for liquids comprising: a cup

   portion; and a lid portion; wherein the cup portion and the lid portion are both made of a biodegradable material; and the lid portion is formed integrally with the cup portion.
2. 2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is disposable and the lid portion is hingedly connected to the cup portion by a web of the biodegradable material.
3. 3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cup and lid portions have been moulded from pulped plant fibres.
4. 4. A container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the biodegradable material is pulped reed or pulped sugar cane.
5. 5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the biodegradable material is recyclable in a commonly used recycling process, such as paper recycling.
6. 6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cup portion and lid portion are connected by a resilient hinge.
7. 7. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the hinge has a weakened portion or a notch to enable easy tearing in order to tear the lid portion off from the cup portion.
8. 8. A container as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the hinge is capable of holding the lid portion in an open position such that the lid portion is held away from the consumer's face when the container is used for drinking.
9. 9. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the depth of the cup portion is substantially greater than the depth of the lid portion.
10. 10. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is stackable.
11. 11. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is moulded in one piece.
12. 12. A container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the internal surfaces of the cup and lid portions are smooth and the external surfaces are textured.
13. 13. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is liquid impermeable without the need for a coating to be applied to the internal surfaces.
14. 14. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container has a coating to reduce condensation on the underside of the cup portion.
15. 15. A container as claimed in claim 14, wherein the coating is a biodegradable algae coating.
16. 16. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 to 5 or figures 6 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.