US3120077A

US3120077A - Coaster and process for making

Info

Publication number: US3120077A
Application number: US113857A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hans F Stoffel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-05-31
Filing date: 1961-05-31
Publication date: 1964-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1981-02-04

Description

Feb. 4, 1964 H. F. STOFFEL 3,120,077

COASTER AND PROCESS FOR MAKING Filed May 31, 1961 H63 INVENTOR H. F. STOFFEL BY z/MM fv I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,126,077 CQASTER AND PROCESS FQR MAKENG Hans F. Stoliel, Scarsdale, Nil. (63 Main St, Tuckahoe, NY.) Filed May 31, 1961, Sea. No. 113,857 4 Claims. (Cl. 45--68.4)

This invention relates to supports and more particularly to a coaster for a tumbler and the process for making the same. The use of pad-s or coasters for beverage glasses has come into general use. Various types of coasters have been made of numerous materials and at varying cost. Such materials have included leather, cardboard and other pressed fibers and sheet material.

Coasters made from material such as leather are usually reinforced with stiffening material such as wood and hence are relatively bulky and expensive. Coasters of nominal expense, such as those from cardboard and pressed materials, tend to absorb moisture or become broken and unfit for use after a limited time and hence are lacking in durability.

Coasters of sheet metal have heretofore tended to Warp, thereby causing unsteadiness or rocking. Attempts to use a molded plastic rim having a sheet metal center have been hampered by the tendency of the sheet metal to warp and its resisting the normal shrinkage of the plastic rim during curing, thereby resulting in the latter cracking.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coaster having a sheet insert of relatively rigid material such as metal and a molded plastic rim, which is durable and inexpensive, and in which the insert is maintained substantially fiat.

A further object is to provide a process for the manu- 'facture of a coaster having a relatively rigid sheet insert and a molded plastic rim and in which normal shrinkage of the rim is permitted and hence does not tend to produce cracking thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a coaster in accordance with the present invention and illustrating the manner of use;

FIG. 2, a plan view of the coaster; and

FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentary section illustrating the shrinkage effect during curing.

Briefly stated, the coaster of the present invention includes a molded rim of substantial thickness with a thin insert of sheet material such as aluminum having embossed stifiening ribs and a curled periphery, the latter of which is mounted in the rim and preferably positioned out of center with reference to its thickness, the embossing and the curled periphery increasing the strength and rigidity of the sheet member and tending to maintain it substantially flat, and the positioning out of center with reference to the rim permitting normal shrinkage of the latter without cracking.

With further reference to the drawing, there is illustrated a coaster having a central sheet portion and a rim 11. The sheet portion is preferably formed from thin sheet metal such as aluminum and has raised or embossed relatively narrow lineal areas 12 which are distributed to cover a major portion of its area and angularly disposed to each other in order to strengthen the sheet portion and resist flexing or warping. The periphery preferably has a curled periphery formed by a raised rib 14 to add further strength and to assist in anchoring it within the rim. The raised portions 12 serve the additional function of supporting the bottom of a glass G out of contact with the flat portion of the sheet member ll) and hence reduce the possibility, when the glass is moist or liquid has spilled onto the coaster, of the latters sticking to the bottom of the glass as it is lifted.

T he rim 11 is preferably formed from a plastic such as polyethylene which may be molded directly onto the periphery of the sheet portion The rim is of substantial thickness or height, and the periphery of the sheet portion is desirably positioned out of center with respect thereto, as, for example, approximately one-third or onequarter of the distance from the lower surface of the rim. Such positioning out of center permits the upper portion of the rim to shrink inwardly, as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3, such shrinkage being a normal occurrence following the molding of such plastic for ap proximately six days. Said shrink-age may cause very slight, almost undetectable, bowing of the sheet portion it), as indicated in the drawing in broken lines. However, such bowing, if it occurs, is not noticeable to the user and does not detract from the quality of the coaster. As a result of the positioning of the sheet portion out of center of the rim, the major portion of the rim may contract, and thus the danger of cracks developing, which is likely if contraction is prevented, is obviated.

The coaster of the present invention is compact, attractive, lightweight and may be produced at nominal cost. Hence, it is well adapted for use as an advertising or promotion-a1 give-away item.

Accordingly, it will be seen that the invention includes a coaster having a relatively thin, relatively stiff sheet insert and a molded rim which is relatively thick and with the sheet insert preferably positioned substantially out of center in order to permit ordinary shrinkage to occur after molding of the rim.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the described embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coaster comprising a relatively thin, fiat sheet insert formed of relatively stifi bendable material and having embossed, angularly disposed lineal areas distributed over a major portion of its area and having a raised peripheral portion, and a rim of relatively great thickness molded onto and enclosing the peripheral portion of the insert, said insert being positioned out of center in said rim.

2. A coaster having a relatively thick plastic rim, a relatively thin sheet metal central portion of a material which is relatively easy to bend and having angularly disposed stiffening ribs Within its interior and a channel edge portion embedded in the rim and disposed substantially out of center therewith.

3. A coaster comprising a relatively thick plastic rim, and a relatively thin stilt central portion with its periphery embedded within the rim, said central portion being disposed substantially out of center with respect to said rim.

4. The invention of claim 3 in which the rim is of a plastic of the type which shrinks during curing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,601,312 McGrew June 24, 1952 2,787,085 Auer Apr. 2, 1957 7,796,635 Harvender June 25, 1957 2,893,163 Hazel July 7, 1959

Claims

1. A COASTER COMPRISING A RELATIVELY THIN, FLAT SHEET INSERT FORMED OF RELATIVELY STIFF BENDABLE MATERIAL AND HAVING EMBOSSED, ANGULARLY DISPOSED LINEAL AREAS DISTRIBUTED OVER A MAJOR PORTION OF ITS AREA AND HAVING A RAISED PERIPHERAL PORTION, AND A RIM OF RELATIVELY GREAT THICKNESS MOLDED ONTO AND ENCLOSING THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE INSERT, SAID INSERT BEING POSITIONED OUT OF CENTER IN SAID RIM.