MXPA97000806A

MXPA97000806A - Container for food or bebi

Info

Publication number: MXPA97000806A
Application number: MXPA/A/1997/000806A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Beverly Kennett William
Original assignee: Kennett William B; Welsford Peter A
Priority date: 1994-08-02
Filing date: 1997-01-31
Publication date: 1997-06-01

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container for food or beverages comprising a shaped part formed with projections with integral fins that can be bent from a stacking position for the container towards a handle for retaining and holding the cupped part, characterized in that the projections with fins are hinged to match and form a hollow tube section having a means for holding the free end of the handle in the cupped portion, in order to simulate a conventional handle with an opening for the user's finger and thumb

Description

"CONTAINER FOR FOOD OR DRINKS" This invention relates to a container for food or beverages and, more particularly, to a container with a handle or integrally formed handles that can be assembled from a stacked position or a position of use. Stackable one-piece containers with an integrally formed handle are known, but these are or relatively complicated in their construction and method of assembly, and have the disadvantage that the handle may be unstable when the container is filled with hot food or drink. One of these containers in the shape of a cup for drinking liquids is described in the specification of US Patent Number 2937783 (Press et al.) Which comprises a bowl, a radially projecting handle integrally formed on the upper outer edge of the bowl, an inwardly raised and extending rib. up on the wall of the bowl, the handle and the rib lend rigidity to the bowl in the area of the handle. A groove is provided on the outside of the bowl under the handle and a pair of projecting lugs integrally formed on opposite sides of the handle that fold down the handle along fold lines such that the ends The external lugs of the lugs jump into slots placing the lugs to provide a handle to hold the bowl. One object of the present invention is to provide an improved food or beverage package that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a package for food or beverages comprising a cup-shaped portion formed with integral flap projections LO which can be bent from the stacking position for the package towards a handle in order to retain and hold the cocked part , wherein the fin projections are hinged to coincide and form a hollow tube section having means for holding the free end of the handle in the cupped portion to simulate a conventional handle with an opening for the finger and thumb of the user . Preferably, the package is made of a plastic material by the injection molding process. Conveniently, the finned projection extends radially from the edge of the cupped portion to facilitate the nesting of a plurality of packages.

In an alternative construction, the cupped part has two finned projections extending radially from the opposite sides of the edge of the cupped portions. The means for holding the handle is preferably an angle-shaped piece with a series of parallel lateral grooves that are firmly held in a shoulder of the base of the cup-shaped part of the container. Conveniently, the hollow tube section has a rectangular, round, oval or octagonal cross section. Preferably, the finned projections have a fastening means for securing the finned projections together. In a preferred construction, the fastening means is a pin in a finned projection that engages a hole in the other finned projection. The embodiments of the stackable container will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a container with a single projection with fins on it; the horizontal position for stacking; Figure 2 is a similar view of the package of Figure 1, with the finned projection bent downwards in the direction of the arrows; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the package of Figures 1 and 2, with the finned projection bent to form a handle; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a stack of containers fitted in accordance with the invention, each container having a single handle; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a stack of three containers each fitted with two handles. Figure 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the container with finned projections to be folded upwards; Figure 7 is a fragmentary section of the package of Figure 6 with the handle formed by the finned projections secured to the base of the package; Figure 8 is a side elevation of a modified package with a fastening means for the finned halves of the handle; and Figure 9a is a sectional detail of the clamping means in the unclamped position while Figure 9b is a sectional detail of the clamping means in the clamped position.The package can be used, e.g., as one. glass to contain drinks or as a bowl for hot foods such as soup or rice. Each container 1 has a tapering part 2 tapering from an upper edge 3 to a base 4 of round or cone shape ending at an edge 5 of the base with a recessed portion 6 forming an angled edge 7. Extending radially from the upper edge 3 is a handle 8 with projections 11 and 12 with l < fins adjacent to a central portion 9 of which is horizontal to the upper edge. Two bending lines 10 are formed in part 9 to facilitate bending of the two fins 12a and 12b downwards as shown by the arrows A, in Figure 2. The edge walls 13 of the projections 11 and 12 with fins engaged and abutting against each other in their fully bent down position to form a resilient handle as shown in Figure 3. The free ends of the two finned projections 11 and 0 12 have stops 14 in the shape of angle with transverse grooves 15 on its inner edges, which in the assembled handle couple an angled surface 7 formed by the base of the cup 2. The coupling of the stops 14 with the angle surface 7 holds the handle on the lower edge of the cup 2 to form a stable handle for the container. As shown in Figure 4, a plurality of packages 1 are fitted in a stack to reduce their volume when stored for transport such as in an aircraft or when placed in a beverage or food dispensing machine. The containers 1 fit closely with the handle 8 which is flush with the handle in an adjacent container. Figure 5 is a similar stack of three containers 1 each having two handles 8 extending radially from opposite sides of the upper edge 3 of the cup 2. In the preferred construction, the projections 11 and 12 with handle fins each are molded with walls 16 forming a hollow tubular section with a shaped opening that simulates that of a handle of the conventional cup. However, it will be understood that this may take the form of a rectangular, round, oval or octagonal cross section. It is also possible to leave the inner wall of the fin outside so that the handle is similar to a conventional handle. The finned projection is integrally formed with the side of the cup or bowl, but its resistance does not depend on the distortion of the material but in principle on cantilever that is achieved by means of the clamping means formed between the parts 14 and 7. Even when the projections 11 and 12 with fins are connected to the central part 9 by fold lines, 5 form a permanent integrating part of the container. When rotated through 90 ° the finned projections are stable enough to allow the torsion to exert a pressure on an overcenter staple at the base of the cup that is integral with the cup. Using the base clamp, if the container is used with a hot liquid, the handle flaps remain clamped unless a deliberate force is applied to decouple the clamping means from the base. The base fixing clamp of the handle also provides an extension applied to the base of the container improving the stability of the cup by moving the center of gravity to compensate for the weight of the handle. In a second embodiment of the package shown in Figures 6 and 7, the equal parts have the same reference numbers as in the embodiment of the Figures 1 to 3. In this second embodiment, the projections 12a and 12b with fins remain in a level plane with the upper edge 3 of the capped part 2. The projections with fins are assembled on a handle 8 by folding them along of the fold lines 10 of the central part 9 in an upward direction as shown by the arrows B. The projections with assembled handle fins are pivoted downward as shown by the arrows C dotted so that the part 9 central coupling 5 the wall cocked at 17 and the angled stops 14 are firmly fixed on the edge 7 at an angle holding the projections 12a and 12b with fins between each other, forming a stable handle to hold the cupped part 2 and its contents. In a third embodiment of the container 1 the finned projections of the handle 8 are folded downwardly so that their edge walls 13 engage and that the finned projections are held together by the holding means in the form of a pin 15 in a projection coupling a hole 16 formed in the other projection. Each finned projection may have a pin 15 and a hole 16 as shown in Figure 8. Figures 9a and 9b show the fastening means in the open and fastened positions, respectively. The pin 0 and the hole are coupled together with an interference fit to provide a resilient hold of the two finned projections. The first ends of the finned projections each may have a cradle 17 inserted in the base pin 5. This cradle 17 is modified to be appropriate and to carry a detail of a cradle that provides a secure hold of the free ends of the finned projections with the base of the cup container 2. The container of the present invention allows the stacking of the containers to save space and for ease of transport, reducing the space by a ratio of less than one in ten. The molded container is 49 percent to 50 percent lighter than the conventional plastic cups that are currently used by aviation companies. As an example in the case of glasses to drink liquid used in the Concorde, where porcelain cups are used, the reduction in weight would be from 275 grams to 15 grams equivalents per cup. 15 The containers can be manufactured by an injection molding process that eliminates the conventional core molding tool currently used to manufacture the plastic cups for overhead lines in order to significantly reduce the total cost. Multiple impressions can be achieved simultaneously on a pair of matching matrix faces and thus produce them in a more efficient and economical manner. The finished product can of course be made of white or multi-colored plastic material with a shiny or matt surface and can be 'clinically' clean when supplied.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A container (1) for food or drinks comprising a part (2) cupped formed with projections 5 with integral fins (11, 12, 12a, 12b) that can be bent from a stacking position for the container to a handle (8) for retaining and holding the capped part (2), characterized in that the finned projections (11). , 12, 12a, 12b) are hinged to match and form a hollow tube section having a means for holding the free end of the handle (8) in the cupped part (2), in order to simulate a handle conventional with an opening for the user's finger and thumb.

2. A package (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow tube section has a rectangular, round, oval or octagonal cross section.

3. A package (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the package (1) is 20 manufactures plastic material through an injection molding process.

4. A package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the finned projections (11, 12, 12a, 12b) extend radially from the edge (3) of the part (2) cupped to facilitate the fitting of a plurality of packages.

5. A package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that 5 the cupped part (2) has two finned projections (11, 12, 12a, 12b) extending radially from the opposite sides of the edge (3) of the cupped part (2).

6. A package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that J. J the means for holding the handle (8) is a part (14) in the form of an angle with a series of parallel lateral grooves (15) that are firmly held in a shoulder (7) of the base of the part (2). ) cupped container (1). A package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the finned projections (11, 12, 12a, 12b) of the handle are oscillated downward to form the handle (8). 8. A package (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the 0 finned projections (11, 12, 12a, 12b) of the handle are oscillated upwards to form the handle (8). 9. A package (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the finned projections (11, 12, 12a, 12b) have a fastening means for securing the finned projections (11, 12, 12a, 12b) together. A package (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the fastening means are a pin (15) in a finned projection (12a) that couples a hole (16) in the other finned projection (12b)