WO1995015891A1

WO1995015891A1 - Cup

Info

Publication number: WO1995015891A1
Application number: PCT/NO1994/000200
Authority: WO
Inventors: Morten NYTRÖ
Original assignee: Dynoplast As
Priority date: 1993-12-10
Filing date: 1994-12-09
Publication date: 1995-06-15
Also published as: NO934555L; NO934555D0; NO300802B1

Abstract

Cup for nutrition and/or stimulants to be consumed with a spoon, with a main cup section (11) adapted for application of a lid, and with a stem (14) making a socket for the main cup section (11). The central part of the stem (14) is provided with a transverse opening (15), leaving a passage, for inserting a spoon, particularly a throwaway plastic spoon. The bottom of the main section has a central, circular bottom section (13A) which is depressed relative to an annular edge bottom section (13B), the stem (14) being adjoined the border between the edge bottom section and the central bottom section.

Description

Cup

The invention relates to a receptacle of the kind stated in the introductory part of claim 1 , particularly for containing nutrition and stimulants to be consumed with a spoon.

Background Food is increasingly offered in portion packages ready for immediate consumption.

When the content is to viscous to be consumed by a drinking straw or to particulated to be gripped by the fingers, it is necessary to provide a spoon.

It is known that foldable spoons can be placed on the lid of a container. This requires extra height and blocks the lid for optimal printing of advertising. Further, the spoon has to be applied to the lid after filling of the receptacle and this requires special packing equipment on the packing site. It is also possible to provide the bottom of the receptacle with an indent for a spoon. But this substantially increases the manufacturing costs.

Object

The main object of the invention is to provide a receptacle with a spoon, in which the spoon is incorporated in a position convenient for manufacture and permits the spoon to be introducted at initial preparation of the receptacle.

It is a further object to provide a receptacle convenient to use and of an appropriate design.

Invention

According to the invention, this can be achieved by providing a receptacle as stated in claim 1.

This receptacle allows the provision of a spoon which is conveniently hidden but easily accessed. The provison of the spoon will not impair the qualities of the printing of information and advertisement on the receptacle.

Advantageous features and details of the invention are stated in claims 2-4. Example The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a side view of a cup according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a stack of cups according to Fig. 1, with a section perpendicular to the drawing of Fig. 1, with a spoon provided in each cup, while Fig. 3 shows an underside perspective view of the cup of Fig. 1.

The receptacle shown in Figures 1 , 2 and 3 is a cup with an upper frustro conical main section 11, with an upper radial rim 12 for sealing a lid (not shown), e.g. of plastic foil, by welding or gluing. The side wall of the main section 11 is integrate with a bottom 13 over a rounded edge. The bottom 13 is provided with a circular central bottom part 13A which is depressed relative to a surounding annular bottom part 13B. At the transition between the annular bottom part 13B and the central bottom part 13A, the cup extends into a tubular stem 14 with a lower radial rim providing a circular socket 17. The cup may also be manufactured with a non- circular section.

The central part of the stem 14 is provided with an opening 15 providing a passage through the stem. In a modified embodiment, this passage may have closed walls. In the passage 15 a spoon 16 is inserted, the spoon of the example being a folded throw away spoon according to prior art.

The cup of the example can be manufactured by extrusion, to prepare all the parts in one piece. It is also possible to manufacture the upper part by vacuum drawing and the stem by extruding as separate parts which are joined as the last step of the manufacturing process. The spoon 16 is maintained in the passage 15 by using a spot of glue (not shown) or by matching the width of the passage and the spoon to achieve a tight fit when the spoon is inserted.

Fig. 2 shows the stacking of multiple cups according to the invention, with the spoons inserted. Accordingly, the cups can be delivered with spoon, ready for filling. The stem 14 provides the necessary stacking distance. The cup described can be modified in different ways. The passage 15 can be provided with lower and upper walls, which may be considered as inferior for design reasons. The passage 15 does not need to be in a central position relative to the axis of the cup, an offset position being possible, and a sideward indent in the stem 14 also being possible.

Claims

Claims:

1. Receptacle for nutrition and/or stimulants to be consumed with a spoon, with a main section (11) adapted for application of a lid, and with a stem (14) making a socket for the main section (11), the stem providing a shell with a void, characterized in that the central part of the stem (14) is provided with a transverse opening (15) leaving a passage for inserting a spoon, particularly a throwaway plastic spoon.

2. Receptacle according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening is located at the central axis of the receptacle and constitutes a closed passage with inner walls.

3. Receptacle according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper wall of the passage (15) is constituted by the bottom (13) of the main section .

4. Receptacle according to claim 3, characterized in that the bottom of the main section has a central, circular bottom section (13A) which is depressed relative to an annular edge bottom section (13B), the stem (14) being adjoined the border between the edge bottom section and the central bottom section.