NL2016833A - Drinking cup and use of such a drinking cup - Google Patents

Abstract

A drinking cup has a cup body and an insert with a lid portion in fluid tight sealing contact with the cup body. A pipe extends downwardly from the lid portion and a drinking channel extends through the pipe and the lid portion. A wall bounds a dosing chamber in a bottom portion of the cup, which chamber communicates with a main chamber above the dosing chamber only via a replenishment passage and with the drinking channel via an inlet end thereof. A closure closes off the drinking channel in a fluid-tight manner and is removable from the drinking channel for allowing outward liquid flow from the dosing chamber through the drinking channel and inward flow of air through the drinking channel into the chambers. Thus, a very accurate dosage is obtained and in particular an enlarged first dosage is avoided. Use of such a cup is also described.

Description

TITLE: Drinking cup and use of such a drinking cup FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a drinking cup for patients having problems with drinking fluids and in particular with muscle co-ordination required for swallowing varying volumes of liquid. Such a cup is disclosed in UK patent application 2 505 649. Such a drinking cup may also be used to facilitate small children to learn how to drink from a cup (instead of from a bottle or sippy cup) and to limit spillage if the child's efforts are not immediately successful.

In the care for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD), dependency and dysphagia are significant problems. According to the World Health Organization people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities are defined as having multiple problems, including an IQ lower than 20 (Ware, 1994). The DSM-IV compares this to a developmental age of approximately two years old (Ware, 1994). People with PIMD are dependent on the help and choices of caregivers in multiple ways and for a lot of aspects of their daily life. This is mainly due to the cognitive impairments, difficulties with swallowing, sensory problems, problems in communication, motor planning, and oral-motor control (Hickman & Jenner, 1997; Chadwick et al., 2003). Caregivers experience difficulties in understanding the needs of people with PIMD because of the constrained communication possibilities. In addition, people with PIMD often have difficulties in understanding the instructions of the caregiver (Petry et al., 2009).

Dysphagia can be defined as a weakness of muscle tone, which affects the ability to coordinate the muscles involved in swallowing. This may occur in the oral, pharyngeal and oesophageal stages of deglutition. Subsumed in this definition are problems positioning food in the mouth and problems in oral movements, including sucking, mastication and the process of swallowing (RCSLT, 1998). Eating and drinking is a highly complex multi-system skill.

Dysphagia is therefore highly prevalent in people with PIMD. Percentages vary between studies from 36% (Hickman & Jenner, 1997) to 73% (Rogers et al., 1994). The National Patient Safety Agency published a report on patient safety issues for people with intellectual disabilities (NPSA, 2004). Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) were reported as one of the main five priority risk areas.

The main health risk of dysphagia is aspiration, potentially resulting in pneumonia, chest infections, chronic lung disease, asphyxia and dehydration (Helfrich-Miller., 1996; Eyman et al., 1990; Rogers et al., 1994; Beange et al., 1995; Hollins et al., 1998; Aziz & Campbell-Taylor, 1999; Cook & Kahrilas, 1999). Thus, dysphagia can be a life-threatening condition in people with PIMD, especially when cognitive awareness is minimal. Speech and language therapists report that people with PIMD along with patients with cerebral palsy make up the highest proportion (around 75%) of their dysphagia caseload (Watson, 2004; Crawford, 2006).

Pugh & Stansfield (1989) detected that although drinking is an essential and fundamental life-supporting activity, people having problems with drinking generally lack professional help and advice. Both Christiansen (2000) and Pugh & Stansfield (1989) indicated that an adapted drinking cup is a good starting point for increasing independency.

In the act of drinking disturbed motor planning, spasm or sensory or attention problems can limit the handling of the cup and controlling the volume of a sip (Clements, 1998). Many professionals are not aware of relevant cups and drinking aids on the market (Castro et al., 2011). Therefore, a lot of people with PIMD are struggling with ordinary mugs and cups or toddler cups. Often a common toddler cup is used to prevent spilling and to regulate the amount of liquid. However, it is also generally known that a toddler cup prevents a normal swallow and therefore is not recommended for use after the age of six to nine months (VBVC, 2009) and can cause dysfunctions in swallowing in the long term (Castro et al., 2011).

There are different drinking cups available, but most of them do not meet the specific needs of people with special needs, such as liquid regulation and lip closure, (good grip on) the handles, use of materials, color contrast and preference for a cup (Pugh & Stansfield, 1989).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drinking cup that allows users having problems with drinking, such as small children and elderly and more in particular users having problems with swallowing, such as patients with PIMD, to drink more safely and which enhances normal swallowing or at least does not make it more difficult compared with drinking from a conventional cup.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing a drinking cup according to claim 1. The invention can also be embodied in a use of such a cup according to claim 12. The volume of the dosing chamber determines the amount of liquid that is dispensed if the cup is tilted once from an upright position to a tilted position beyond an orientation in which air, which is needed to allow liquid to flow out, is allowed to flow in through the approximately horizontal drinking channel into the internal space of the cup body. At this stage, liquid does not flow from the main chamber into the dosing chamber, because the wall constitutes a liquid-tight barrier separating the dosing chamber from the main chamber except at the replenishment passage. When the cup is returned to the upright position, liquid flows from the main chamber through the replenishment passage into the dosing chamber. The amount of air that has flown in as a replenishment of the liquid that has flown out through the drinking channel limits the amount of liquid that is allowed to flow into the dosing chamber to approximately the same volume, so the liquid flowing into the dosing chamber will not rise over a significant distance into the drinking channel. Thus, the dispensed volume of liquid dispensed varies very little from tilt to tilt. Because the closure closes off the drinking channel in a fluid-tight manner and is removable from the drinking channel for allowing outward liquid flow from the dosing chamber through the drinking channel and inward flow of replenishing air through the drinking channel into the chambers, the insert can be mounted onto the cup body with the closure closing off the drinking channel. Thus, it is ensured that during initial mounting of the insert, liquid will not rise into the drinking channel over a significant distance. Accordingly, compared to volumes dispensed during next tilts, the volume of liquid dispensed during the first tilt after mounting of the insert is not increased by the internal volume of the drinking channel, so that also the volume dispensed during the first tilt is virtually identical to each of the next volumes. Only the last volume dispensed may be smaller as the cup becomes empty.

The invention may also be embodied in a cup according to claim 5. Because the insert has a side wall continuation projecting upwardly from the lid portion and from said side wall of the cup body and extending circumferentially about an internal space of the insert, an upper lip of the user can be positioned projecting into the internal space of the insert, which facilitates intake of the presented liquid. Furthermore, the dispensed liquid flows into a space having a relatively large size in a direction towards the bottom of the cup, so that the controlled volume of liquid will rise to a relatively low level in front of the mouth of the user, which further facilitates liquid intake.

The invention may also be embodied in a cup according to claim 8. Because the cup has at least one hand grip projecting radially from the cup body and, seen in side view extending obliquely to a center line of the cup body from a lower end nearer to the first side wall sector than to the second side wall sector to an upper end nearer to the second side wall sector than to the first side wall sector, when the cup is in its upright position, the grip or grips are oriented in a direction tilted relative to the vertical in a tilting sense that is opposite to the sense in which the cup is tilted for drinking. This facilitates holding the grip or grips when the cup is in its tilted position for drinking, because the grip or grips are inclined less than the cup is tilted.

Where the terms 'cup' and 'cup body’ are used, these are not intended to limit the indicated items to a particular type of drinking vessels, but rather to encompass all types of drinking vessels that may be closed by a lid member, including glasses and beakers of any material and bowl-shaped, cylindrical, conical or shaped otherwise and with or without grips.

Particular elaborations and embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

Further features, effects and details of the invention appear from the detailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective cut-away view of an example of a cup according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cup shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a top portion of the cup shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a top portion of the cup shown in Figs. 1-3; and

Figs. 5A-5C are schematic representations of a further example of a cup according to the invention in several stages of use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

First, an example of a drinking cup according to the invention shown in Figs. 1-4 is described. The cup 1 is shown in assembled condition and has a cup body 2 having a bottom 3, a side wall 4 projecting upwardly from the bottom 3 and extending circumferentially about an internal space 5 of the cup body 2. The cup body 2 as such is upwardly open.

Another member of the cup 1 is formed by an insert 6. The insert 6 has a lid portion 7 in fluid tight sealing contact with a zone 8 of the cup body 2 extending around the internal space 5 of the cup body 2, a pipe 9 extending downwardly from the lid portion 7 and a drinking channel 10 extending through the pipe 9 and the lid portion 7 from an inlet end 11 nearer to a first side wall sector 12 than to a second side wall sector 13 opposite the first side wall sector 12, to an outlet port 14 through the lid portion 7.

The cup 1 further has a wall 15 bounding a dosing chamber 16 in a bottom portion of the cup 1. The dosing chamber 16 communicates with a main chamber 17 above the dosing chamber 16 only via a replenishment passage 19 nearer to the second side wall sector 13 than to the first side wall sector 12, i.e. vis-a-vis the cup center, generally opposite of the drinking channel. Except at the replenishment passage 19, the wall 15 is in essentially liquid-tight sealing contact with the side wall 4 of the cup body 2 and connected to the pipe 9 in a liquid-tight manner so that no liquid can pass between the pipe 9 and the wall 15. The dosing chamber 16 communicates with the drinking channel 10 via the inlet end 11 of the drinking channel 10. A closure 20 closes off the drinking channel 10 in a fluid-tight manner and is removable from the drinking channel 10 for allowing outward liquid flow from the dosing chamber 16 through the drinking channel 10 and inward flow of air through the drinking channel 10 into the chambers 16, 17.

Operation of a cup according to the invention is described with reference to the example shown in Figs. 5A-5C.

Prior to filling the cup body 102 with a liquid 121 to be drunk, the insert 106 is removed from the cup body 102, so that the open top end of the cup body 102 is no longer closed off and liquid can be poured into the internal space 105 of the cup body 102. The cup body 102 is provided with a marking MAX that indicates a maximum level that should not be exceeded when filling the cup body 102. When the level of the liquid has reached the maximum level MAX, the situation shown in Fig. 5A has been reached.

Before repositioning the insert 106, the drinking channel 110 extending through pipe 109 is closed off in a fluid-tight manner using the closure 120. In this example, the closure is inserted into the outlet port 114 of the drinking channel 110.

Then, the insert 106 is repositioned with its lid portion 107 in fluid tight sealing contact with a zone 108 of the cup body 102 extending around the internal space 105 of the cup body 102, so that the situation shown in Fig. 5B is reached. As can be seen from Fig. 5B, the liquid 121 has not risen into the drinking channel 110 over a significant distance while the insert 106 was repositioned, because the closure 120 prevented a column of air in the drinking channel 10 from escaping as the lower end portion of the pipe 109 containing the drinking channel 110 was immersed in the liquid 121. When, after the lid portion 107 has been brought in fluid tight sealing contact with the zone 108 of the cup body 102, the closure 120 (e.g. a plug of resilient material) is removed, so that the outlet port 114 of the drinking channel is opened, the liquid level in the drinking channel still does not rise by a significant amount, because that would require the volume of liquid entering the drinking channel to be compensated by air entering the internal space 105 in the cup member under the lid portion 107 of the insert 106, while the internal space 105 in the cup member under the lid portion 107 is hermetically closed-off from the environment by the lid portion 107 in fluid tight sealing contact with the zone 108 of the cup body 102.

After the drinking channel 110 has been opened by removing the closure 121 from the drinking channel 110, if the user wants to consume some of the liquid 121 in the cup 101, the cup 101 is tilted from an upright position (Fig. 5B) into a tilted position (Fig. 5C) such that the first side wall sector 112 gradually faces downwards more and more. As illustrated by Fig. 5B, initially, no liquid will flow out of the drinking channel 110 even if the outlet port 114 is lowered below the liquid level in the internal space 105 of the cup body 102. Because there is no opportunity for air to flow into a head space above the liquid level in the internal space 105 of the cup body 102, the liquid 121 is prevented from flowing out of the drinking channel 110.

Only after the drinking channel 110 has reached an orientation that is sufficiently horizontal for allowing air to flow slightly upwardly through the drinking channel 110 into the internal space 105 of the cup body 102, the liquid 121 in the dosing chamber 116 is allowed to flow out of the drinking channel 110. Since the wall 115 separating the dosing chamber 116 from the main chamber 117 is in substantially liquid-tight sealing contact with the side wall 104 of the cup body 102, liquid 121 is prevented from flowing into the dosing chamber 116 while the cup 101 is in this most extremely tilted position. Thus, an accurately controlled amount of liquid, the volume of which is determined mainly by the size of the dosing chamber 116 is dispensed through the outlet port 114.

The volume of dispensed liquid is preferably in a range of 3-30 ml, more preferably 5-25 ml. The amount of liquid dispensed may be changed by positioning a different insert 106, for instance with the separating wall 115 at a different level into the cup body 102, such inserts 106 may for instance be provided in 5, 10, 15 and 20 ml versions. Another option for changing the amount of liquid dispensed during each tilt is by providing inserts in the dosing chamber, for instance in versions occupying volumes of 5, 10 and 15 ml in a 20 ml dosing chamber.

When, subsequently, the cup 101 is returned to the upright position again passing the less tilted position shown in Fig. 5C, liquid 121 flows from the main chamber 117 via the replenishment opening 119 into the dosing chamber 116 refilling the dosing chamber 116. The liquid blocks inflow of air through the drinking channel. Again, no significant amount of liquid 121 will flow into the drinking channel 110, because the liquid 121in the dosing chamber blocks the inlet end 111 of the drinking channel 110, thereby preventing airflow to the head space in the internal space 105 in the cup body 102 above the liquid 121. Thus, a position as shown in Fig. 5B is reached each time the cup 101 is returned to the upright position (except that each time the liquid level will have lowered in accordance with the dispensed volume of liquid) and each time the cup 101 is tilted far enough for allowing the dosing chamber to be emptied via the drinking channel 110, the same volume of liquid is dispensed. The last volume of liquid dispensed may be smaller, because there is no liquid left for a full dosage.

As is best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the closure 20 is connected to the insert 6 such that, in removed condition, the closure 20 remains connected to the insert 106. Thus, it is prevented that the closure 20 gets lost or, worse, is wallowed by a user.

The connection between the closure 20 and the insert 6 is provided in the form of a hinge 22. This causes the closure 20 in removed position to be out of the way of the lips of a user.

The hinge 22 has a hinge axis 23 oriented such that the closure 20 is guided for hinging from a position closing off the drinking channel 10 to a position allowing flow through the drinking channel 10 in a direction having a radially inward directional component and a directional component in circumferential sense. Thus, as is shown in Fig. 3, the closure 20' in the removed position is not in a position diametrically opposite the position of the closure closing off the drinking channel 10, but slightly offset therefrom in circumferential sense. In this offset removed position, the closure 20 is not in the way of the nose of a user if the cup 1 is tilted far while in touch with the mouth of the user.

The insert 6 has a side wall continuation 24 projecting upwardly from the lid portion 7 and from the side wall 4 of the cup body 2 and extending circumferentially about an internal space 25 of the insert 6. This allows an upper lip of the user to be positioned projecting slightly into the internal space 25 of the insert 6, which facilitates intake of the presented liquid.

Furthermore, dispensed liquid flows out of the outlet port 14 into a space 25 having a relatively large size in a direction towards the bottom 3 of the cup 1, so that the dosed volume of liquid will rise to a relatively low level in front of the mouth of the user, which further facilitates liquid intake.

Liquid intake is further facilitated, because the side wall continuation 24 is flared outwardly towards an upper end thereof. A drinking cup according to the invention can also be used by users with normal swallowing capability with the insert removed. For social interaction it can be advantageous if everybody drinks from a cup that looks generally the same. For this purpose an insert with side walls, but without a lid portion, pipe and chamber separating wall may be provided. This allows users with normal swallowing capability, such as caregivers in social interaction with users having swallowing problems, to consume their drinks from cups that seem identical to the cups used by the patients, so that these patients are positively stimulated to drink without help.

The cup 1 further has hand grips 26 projecting radially from the cup body 2 and, seen in side view, extending obliquely to a center line 27 of the cup body 2 from a lower end 28 nearer to the first side wall sector 12 than to the second side wall sector 13 to an upper end 29 nearer to the second side wall sector 13 than to the first side wall sector 12.

Also in the example shown in Figs 5A-5C, such oblique grips 126 with lower ends 128 and upper ends 129 are shown. When the cup 101 is in its upright position (Figs. 5A and 5B), the grips 126 are oriented in a direction tilted relative to the vertical in a sense 30 that is opposite to the sense 31 (Fig. 5C) in which the cup 1 is tilted for drinking. This facilitates holding the grips 126 when the cup 101 is in its tilted position for drinking, because the grips 126 are inclined less than the cup 101 is tilted.

Since the cup 1 has two of such hand grips 26, holding the cup is facilitated further.

Because the lower ends 28 of the grips 26 are flush with a downward facing extreme lower end of the cup body 1, the grips 26 also add to the stability of the cup 1 in its upright position.

Holding the cup is further facilitated, because the grips 26 have groove 132 in obliquely downward facing sides for engagement with fingertips of a user.

Several features have been described as part of the same or separate embodiments. However, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention also includes embodiments having combinations of all or some of these features other than the specific combinations of features embodied in the examples.

References • Aziz S.J. & Campbell-Taylor I. (1999) Neglect and abuse associated with under nutrition in long term care in North America: causes and solutions. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect 10, 91-117. • Beange H., McElduff A. & Baker W. (1995) Medical disorders of adults with mental retardation: a population study. American Journal of Mental Retardation 99: 595-604. • Castro E.M., Franco L., Van Beneden G., Vanderheyden M. (2011) Research into use of a spout cup in adults with neurogenic fluid intake problem. Annex speech therapy, May-June 2011, 68-83. In Dutch: Onderzoek naar gebruik van een tuitbeker bij volwassenen met een neurogeen vochtinname probleem. Bijlage Logopedie, Mei- Juni 2011, 68-83. • Chadwick D., Jolliffe J. & Goldbart J. (2003) Adherence to eating and drinking guidelines for adults with intellectual disabilities and dysphagia. American Journal on Mental Retardation 108, 202-211. • Christiansen C. (2000) Ways of Living: Self-Care Strategies for Special Needs. The American Occupational Therapy Association, Bethesda Maryland. • Clements J. (1998) Development, cognition and performance. In Clinical Psychology and People with Intellectual Disabilities (eds. E. Emerson, C. Hatton, J. Bromley & A. Caine) pp 231-234. Wiley and Sons, Chichester. • Cook I.J. & Kahrilas P.J. (1999) AGA technical review on management of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Gastroenterology 116(2), 455-478. • Crawford H. (2006) ALD and dysphagia; the need for evidence based care. RCSLT Bulletin, January. • Eyman R., Grossman H., Chaney R. & Call T. (1990) The life expectancy of profoundly handicapped people with mental retardation. The New England Journal of Medicine 323 (9), 584-589. • Helfrich-Miller K.R., Rector K.L. & Straka J.A. (1986) Dysphagia: It’s treatment in the profoundly retarded patient with cerebral palsy. Archives of Physical and Medical Rehabilitation 67, 520-525. • Hickman J. & Jenner L. (1997) ALD and dysphagia: issues and practice. Speech/Language Therapy in Practice Autumn, 8-11. • Hollins S., Attard M.T., von Fraunhofer N., McGuigan S. & Sedgwick P.(1998) Mortality in people with learning disability; risks, causes, and death certification findings in London. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 40(1), 50-6. • National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA, 2004). Seven steps to patient safety. The full reference guide. Second print, August. • Petry K. & Maes B. (2005) The support needs of children and young people with deep intellectual and multiple disabilities on the basis of the AAMR-model: a literature review. Dutch Journal for Care of the mentally disabled 2, 87-107. In Dutch: De ondersteuningsbehoeften van kinderen en jongeren met diep verstandelijke en meervoudige beperkingen aan de hand van het AAMR-model: Een literatuurstudie. Nederlands Tijdschrift voor de Zorg aan mensen met verstandelijke beperking (NTZ) 2, 87-107. • Petry K., Maes B., & Vlaskamp C. (2009) Measuring the quality of life of people with profound multiple disabilities using the QOL-PMD: First results. Research in Developmental Disabilities 30, 1394-1405. • Pugh M. & Stansfield S. (1989) Drinking equipment: preparing a DEAP report. British Journal of occupational therapy 52(11), 416-420. • Rogers B., Stratton P., Msall M., Andres M., Champlain M., Koerner P. & Piazza, J. (1994) Long term morbidity and management of strategies of aspiration in adults with severe developmental disabilities. American Journal of Mental Retardation 98, 490- 498. • VBVC (2009) Guidelines for speech therapy treatment of young children with down syndrome from 0-4 years. Early guidance, nutrition and communication. In Dutch: Richtlijnen voor logopedische behandeling van jonge kinderen met down syndroom van 0-4 jaar. Vroegbegeleiding, voeding en communicatie, Assen. • Watson F. (2004) Learning disabilities and dysphagia: the patient safety agenda. RCSLT Bulletin, December. • Ware J. (1994) Conceptualizing progress in Pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. In: Education of children with profound multiple learning disabilities (Ed. J. Ware). David Fulton Publishers, London.

Claims (12)

A drinking cup comprising, when in assembled operating condition: a cup body with a bottom, a side wall protruding upward from the bottom and extending circumferentially about an interior space of said cup body, the cup body being open upwards; and an insert comprising: a lid portion in fluid-tight sealing contact with a zone of the cup body that extends around the interior; a pipe extending downwardly from the lid portion; and a drinking channel extending through the pipe and the lid portion of an inlet end closer to a first sidewall sector than to a second sidewall sector opposite said first sidewall sector to an outlet port through said lid portion; a wall bounding a dosing chamber in a bottom portion of the bowl, said dosing chamber in connection with a main chamber above the dosing chamber exclusively via a replenishment passage closer to said second sidewall sector than to said first sidewall sector, said dosing chamber communicating via said inlet end with said drinking channel; and a closure that fluidly closes said drinking channel and is removable from said drinking channel to allow outward liquid flow from said metering chamber through said drinking channel and inward air flow through said drinking channel into said chambers. 2. Cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closure remains connected to said insert in the removed condition. 3. Cup as claimed in claim 2, wherein said closure is hinged to the insert. 4. Cup as claimed in claim 3, wherein said hinge has a hinge axis oriented such that said closure is guided to hinge from a position in which said drinking channel is closed to a position in which flow through said drinking channel is allowed, in a direction with a radial to within directional component and a circumferential directional component. A drinking cup comprising, when in assembled operating condition: a cup body with a bottom, a side wall protruding upward from the bottom and circumferentially extending around an interior space of said cup body, the cup body being open upwards; and an insert comprising: a lid portion in fluid-tight sealing contact with a zone of the cup body that extends around the interior; a pipe extending downwardly from the lid portion; and a drinking channel extending through the pipe and the lid portion of an inlet end closer to a first sidewall sector than to a second sidewall sector opposite said first sidewall sector to an outlet port through said lid portion; and a wall defining a dosing chamber in a bottom portion of the bowl, said dosing chamber in connection with a main chamber above the dosing chamber exclusively via a replenishment passage closer to said second sidewall sector than to said first sidewall sector, said dosing chamber communicating via said inlet end stands with said drinking channel; and wherein said insert has a sidewall extension projecting upwardly from the lid portion and from said sidewall of said cup body and extending circumferentially about an interior space of said insert. Cup as claimed in claim 5, wherein the side wall extension protrudes outwards at an upper end thereof. 7. Cup as claimed in any of the claims 2-4 and according to claim 5 or 6. A drinking cup comprising, when in assembled operating condition: a cup body with a bottom, a side wall projecting upwardly from the bottom and extending circumferentially about an interior space of said cup body, the cup body being open upwards; and an insert comprising: a lid portion in fluid-tight sealing contact with a zone of the cup body that extends around the interior; a pipe extending downwardly from the lid portion; and a drinking channel extending through the pipe and the lid portion of an inlet end closer to a first sidewall sector than to a second sidewall sector opposite said first sidewall sector to an outlet port through said lid portion; and a wall defining a dosing chamber in a bottom portion of the bowl, said dosing chamber in connection with a main chamber above the dosing chamber exclusively via a replenishment passage closer to said second sidewall sector than to said first sidewall sector, said dosing chamber communicating via said inlet end stands with said drinking channel; and at least one handle extending radially from said cup body, viewed in side view obliquely with respect to a center line of said cup body, from a lower end closer to said first side wall sector than to said second side wall sector to an upper end closer to said second side wall sector then at the first sidewall sector mentioned. 9. Cup as claimed in claim 8, comprising two of said handles. 10. Cup as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the handle or each of the handles has a lower end flush with a lowered lower end of said cup body. A cup according to any of claims 8-10, wherein the handle or each of said handles has a groove in an obliquely downward-facing side for engagement with a user's fingertips. Use of a cup according to any of claims 1-4 and optionally 5-11, comprising: prior to filling the cup body with a liquid to be drunk, removing the insert from the cup body and closing the drinking water channel with the closure ; filling the cup body with a liquid for drinking, at most up to a predetermined maximum level; repositioning the insert with the lid portion in fluid-tight sealing contact with a zone of the cup body that extends around the interior; opening the drinking channel by removing the closure from the drinking channel; tilting the cup from an upright position such that the first sidewall sector is gradually turned more and more downwards, until the drinking channel is sufficiently horizontal to allow air to enter the interior of the cup body, so that liquid in the dosing chamber flows out of the drinking channel ; and returning the cup to the upright position so that liquid flows from the main chamber to the dosing chamber, thereby refilling the dosing chamber.