GB2593043A

GB2593043A - Cardboard cups with grooved structure for vending machines

Info

Publication number: GB2593043A
Application number: GB2101271.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Solmaz Hidir
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-01-31
Filing date: 2021-01-29
Publication date: 2021-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2041-01-29
Also published as: GB2593043B; GB202101271D0

Abstract

A paper cup 1 for use in vending machines comprises an inner groove 3 on its inner surface and an outer groove 4 on its outer surface. The minimum diameter of the inner groove is preferably greater than the maximum diameter of the outer groove. The cup may have a plurality of inner grooves and outer grooves. A system may include a first paper cup stacked on a second paper cup wherein the outer grooves of the first paper cup are dimensioned such that they interact with the inner grooves of the second cup so as to retain the cups in position relative to one another. A method of manufacturing the cup is also claimed, in which a piece of cardboard or paper sheet is shaped into a cup and at least one inner and one outer groove are applied.

Description

CARDBOARD CUPS WITH GROOVED STRUCTURE FOR VENDING

MACHINES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a paper cup, which is preferably used in the hot and cold drinks sector, and can be used in vending machines, which has the possibility of being held together with other paper cups by means of grooves on both its inner and outer surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, products such as bottles and cups made of plastic, and similar materials that are difficult to recycle, are used to offer beverages to the consumer. The plastic cups used in vending machines such as coffee and tea machines typically have a groove structure that allows them to hook into one another.

Disposable cups, which are widely used in daily life, are usually plastic cups and are typically thrown away after use. The recycling times for plastic cups (and other products made from plastic as a raw material) can be long. In Europe, more than a billion plastic cups are used on average each year. Efforts to reduce the use of plastics are increasing day by day in order to reduce plastic pollution and the associated damage to nature.

The use of plastic cups in known IN-CUP vending machines continues to be widespread. There is a groove structure on these plastic cups to hold the plastic cups together. With such a structure, in which more than one plastic cup can be connected and clamped together, plastic cups are nowadays most commonly used in machines such as coffee and tea machines.

The biggest challenge in using paper cups to protect nature is the design and at the point of production. The use of paper cups instead of plastic is not yet widespread in vending machines such as tea and coffee machines because the grooved structure on plastic cups, which allows the cups to lock and interlock, has not yet been applied to the manufacture of paper cups.

Turkish utility model, application number 2015/00282, discloses: "The invention is a plastic cup that is nested, with the rib and mouth arranged in integrity with the mouthpiece, ensuring that the outer plastic cup is held, if the plastic cups are stacked and the distance between the plastic cups is maintained, and the rib consists of circular rings arranged parallel to one another and surrounding the side surfaces of the cup, thereby strengthening its integrity".

In this utility model, circular rings are mentioned which surround the side surfaces of the cup and are arranged parallel to one another. This design prevents the plastic cups from becoming entangled and deformed no matter how much force is applied from above and below. Despite the advantages of the design, these cups still have a large environmental impact as this utility model as utilises plastic materials.

In the Turkish utility model, application number 2018/15599, the invention relates to the following: "Disposable paper cups with a filtered area for tea, coffee, soup and similar drinks and spoons for mixing".

A paper cup configuration is mentioned in this utility model. Inside the paper cup there is a porous layer that contains the taste of the drink, and also serves as a filter and spoon for mixing the drink. However, there is no mention of a system or structure that would allow the paper cups to interlock/interengage and join together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a paper cup which has been developed to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to bring new advantages to the technical field concerned. The cup is preferably used in the field of hot and cold beverages, can be used in vending machines and can be used (with the aid of its inner and outer surfaces) to be stacked with other cups.

The object of the invention is to produce a paper cup which can be used in vending machines, preferably in the field of hot and cold beverages, and to bring a product onto the market which can be preferred to environmentally harmful plastic cups. 3 -

Another object of the present invention is that the paper cup has a groove structure on both its inner and outer surfaces.

Another object of the present invention is to ensure that the cardboard cups obtained are connected to one another by means of the groove structure and that more than one cardboard cup can be stored by being stacked one inside the other.

The object is achieved by providing paper cups according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments emerge from the dependent claims and the following description.

The structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the detailed description described below, and therefore, evaluation should be made with this detailed description in mind.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a side view of the paper cup according to the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to use its current structure to replace plastic cups and thereby create a great benefit for nature. If the product of the invention is 40% of the market, replacing the plastic cups in place prevents at least 400 million plastic cups from being wasted and preventing damage to natural life.

The invention is described with reference to the accompanying figure so that the characteristics of the invention can be more clearly understood and appreciated; however, it is not intended to limit the invention to these specific embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may fall within the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that the details shown are shown for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention and are presented in order to 4 -provide the most useful and easily understandable description of both the embodiment of the methods and the rules and conceptual features of the invention.

Elements that contribute to an understanding of this invention are denoted by the following reference numerals as in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 comprises the following reference numerals: 1: First paper cup 2: Second paper cup 3: Inner groove 4: Outer groove In this detailed description, the paper cup according to the invention is explained only for a better understanding of the object and without restrictive effect. The invention relates to a paper cup which can be used in vending machines, preferably for use in the areas of hot and cold beverages, and each cup has a circumferential groove on both its inner surface and its outer surface.

When a first paper cup 1 of the present invention is put in a second paper cup 2, the outwardly convex groove 4 on the first cup 1 and the inwardly convex groove 3 on the second cup 2 will interact with each other to hold the relative position of the cups, as long as no external force is applied. The groove structure of the paper cup according to the invention thereby enables two or more inventive products to be used by nesting them inside one another. As can be seen in Figure 1, this may be achieved by providing the inner groove with a minimum diameter that is smaller than the maximum diameter of the outer groove. In this way, when the outer groove 4 of the first paper cup 1 is forced past the inner groove 3 of the second paper cup 2, then cups may be retained in position relative to one another, until the cups are pulled apart, thereby forcing the outer groove of the first paper cup past the inner groove of the second paper cup. A similar arrangement may be found with more than one inner groove, and more than one outer groove. As would be appreciated any number of paper cups according to the present invention may be stacked in such a manner.

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The basic principle of the paper cup according to the invention is that the outwardly curved groove 4 on the outer surface of the first paper cup 1 and the inside of the inwardly curved groove 3 of the inner surface of the second paper cup 2 hook or jam against one another and maintain their relative positions as long as no external force acts.

The paper cup according to the present invention may be obtained by the following process steps: 1. Cardboard or paper is cut and printed in a template shape to form a cut piece of cardboard or paper.

2. The cut piece of paper is then shaped into a paper cup shape.

3. The groove system is then applied to the paper or cardboard, which has previously been made into a paper cup shape.

The term 'paper' is to be construed as including paper products such as cardboard. 6 -

Claims

CLAIMS1. A paper cup for use in vending machines, characterized in that the paper cup comprises an inner groove (3) on its inner surface and an outer groove (4) on its outer surface.
2. A paper cup as claimed in claim 1 for use with hot and cold liquids.
3. The paper cup of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the minimum diameter of the inner groove (3) is greater than the maximum diameter of the outer groove (4).
4. A paper cup as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the paper cup has a plurality of inner grooves (3) on its inner surface and a plurality of outer grooves (4) on its outer surface.
5. A system comprising: a first paper cup (1) as claimed in any preceding claim and a second paper cup (2) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outer groove(s) (4) of the first paper cup (1) are dimensioned such that, when stacked on the second paper cup, the outer groove(s) interact with the inner grooves (4) of the second paper cup (2) so as to retain the first and second paper cups in position relative to one another.
6. A method of manufacture of the paper cup of any preceding claim, further comprising: cutting and/or printing a cardboard or paper sheet in a template shape to form a cut piece of cardboard or paper; shaping the cut piece of paper into a paper cup shape; applying at least one inner groove and at least one outer groove to the paper or cardboard, which has previously been made into a paper cup shape.