WO2006030468A1

WO2006030468A1 - Disposable tray used to hold glasses in an ordered, hygienic way

Info

Publication number: WO2006030468A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000516
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe Santellocco
Original assignee: Giuseppe Santellocco
Priority date: 2004-09-16
Filing date: 2005-09-12
Publication date: 2006-03-23
Also published as: ITAQ20040002U1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a disposable tray used to hold glasses in an ordered way, composed of a first strap (2, 20) made of cardboard, semirigid paper or any other equivalent material, provided with a series of holes (3) that receive truncated-conical glasses from above, and a second strap (5, 50) made of the same material adapted to be fixed, in a removable way, at least in two opposite ends of the first strap (2), in order to assume a close, upper position, thus protecting the opening of the glasses.

Description

Disposable tray used to hold glasses in an ordered, hygienic way.

The present patent application refers to a disposable tray used to hold glasses, preferably disposable cups made of paper, plastic or any other suitable material, in an ordered, hygienic way.

As it is known, the use of disposable glasses for drinks distribution is getting more and more popular.

Although the use of disposable glasses has become popular in fast food, fair booths, outdoor markets and other informal occasions, it is also true that traditional public establishments make a large use of disposable glasses, not only for drinks, but also for hot beverages, such as coffee, tea, etc. The growing popularity of disposable glasses and cups is justified by a large number of evident advantages; however, it must be said that some inconveniences related with this distribution technique are still unsolved today.

The most significant downside can be identified in the difficulties encountered by a customer when he/she has to collect one or more disposable glasses and take them to the place where drinks are consumed.

In particular, difficulties increase when the customer receives a number of full glasses without a traditional rigid tray.

Practically speaking, this unfavourable situation is rather common, since in many occasions the need for an inexpensive and practical way of distributing drinks in disposable glasses results in the lack of traditional rigid trays.

In such a case, the customer has to find a way to hold the full glasses in his/her hands, with the risk of spilling the drinks, especially when the precarious transportation of glasses takes place in crowded places.

Moreover, disposable glasses are often given to customers without a lid; because of this, drinks can be accidentally "contaminated" with impurities from the air or small flying insects during the journey from the delivery location to the place where drinks are consumed.

A careful examination of these issues has resulted in the design of the present invention, which aims at ensuring ordered hygienic transportation of disposable glasses, to prevent contamination risks and accidental spilling of drinks.

Another purpose of the present invention is to allow for transportation of a large number (i.e. three, four or six) of glasses with one hand, while currently, although skilful, a person can hardly transport more than two full glasses with one hand. This is made possible by the fact that the tray of the invention includes an upper handle used to grab and hold the tray with glasses.

Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain trays according to the present invention in a practical, inexpensive way, it being disposable trays, just like the glasses they are used with. The tray of the invention is obtained by means of traditional punching processes from sheets of cardboard, semirigid paper or any other suitable material.

More precisely, the tray of the invention is composed of a simple strap of cardboard or semirigid paper, with basically square or rectangular shape, on which a number of circular holes is obtained by means of punching equal to the number of glasses to be carried; it being provided that the hole circumference corresponds to the circumference of the intermediate section of traditional truncated-conical glasses.

The transversal borders of the first perforated strap are connected with a second strap with slightly higher length; it being provided that the two straps are provided with practical, safe connection means, preferably obtained during the punching process of the various parts of the tray of the invention.

The extreme structural simplicity of the tray of the invention corresponds to extremely practical use. In fact, the user simply needs to place the glasses in the first perforated strap from above.

In view of the dimensional ratio between each hole and the corresponding glass, it appears evident that a lower, considerably high section of the glass protrudes under the perforated strap, while the opening of the glass is placed above the said strap.

In this way, the glasses that are placed in the perforated strap are practically "bound" together and the bottom of the glasses is the support surface for the perforated strap and the glasses contained in it.

Once the glasses are placed in the perforated strap, the transversal borders of the first perforated strap are connected with the transversal borders of the second strap with higher length. Because of the latter physical characteristic, the second strap is placed in arched position above the first strap, thus simulating a handle that the user can grab to lift the tray and carry it safely.

It must be noted that, in the aforementioned position, the second arched strap can advantageously protect the top of the glasses contained in the tray of the invention against possible penetration of dust, insects or impurities of different kind.

Once the user has reached his/her destination, he/she will simply need to place the tray on the table (using the bottom of the glasses as support), detach the upper arched strap and progressively extract the glasses from their holes on the perforated strap.

For clarity purposes, the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration only, and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

- Figure 1 is a plan view of a one-piece version of the tray of the invention in non-operating condition,

- Figure 2 is the axonometric view of the tray of Figure 1 in operating condition;

- Figure 3 is a plan view of a different one-piece version of the tray of the invention in non-operating condition, - Figure 4 is the axonometric view of the tray of Figure 3 in operating condition;

- Figure 5 is a plan view of a large cardboard sheet from which the straps designed to form trays of the type illustrated in Figure 3 and 4 can be torn off;

- Figure 6 is an axonometric view of a non-alternative embodiment, composed of more than one piece, of the tray of the invention;

- Figure 7 refers to a last embodiment of the tray of the invention in non- operating condition.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the tray (1 ) of the invention is formed of a long strap (S) of cardboard or semirigid paper, with basically rectangular shape, which includes a first strap (2) with multiple circular holes (3).

The first perforated strap (2) is connected, with the interposition of a folding transversal line (4), to a second strap (5) with the same width and slightly higher length.

The first perforated strap (2) is also provided with a central dovetail notch (2b) on the free transversal edge; the second strap is provided with a central T-shaped appendix (5b) on the free transversal edge, which is adapted to match with the notch (2b) of the first strap (2),

Once the glasses (B) are placed in the holes (3) of the first strap (2) - as shown in Fig. 2 - the entire tray (1) is brought in operating position by simply turning over the second strap (5) by approximately 180° towards the first strap (2) and engaging the T-shaped appendix (5b) with the corresponding notch (2b) of the said straps (5, 2). Fig. 2 also illustrates the fact that the higher length of the second strap (5) allows the second strap (5) to assume an arched operating position, being exactly identical to a handle.

In order to extract the glasses from the tray, the two fixing means (2b, 5b) of the two straps (2, 5) are disengaged and the second strap (5) is overturned backwards.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 differs from the previous one in that the second strap (5) is provided with a second transversal folding line (4a) near the first line (4) in intermediate position between the two straps (2, 5).

The presence of the second folding line (4a) allows to fold the second strap (5) twice to place it in parallel position with respect to the first strap (2), as expressly illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 illustrates that, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the straps (S) that are suitably folded to create the trays shown in Fig. 3 and 4 are obtained from a large sheet (F) in which the shaped straps are bordered by suitable tear-off perforation lines (LS) obtained during traditional punching processes.

In case of the special structure illustrated in Fig. 5, two or more adjacent straps can be obtained to form a tray with multiple capacity with respect to a tray obtained from a single strap (S). Fig. 6 refers to the alternative embodiment of the invention in which the two straps (20, 50) are mutually independent.

In this case, in order to obtain the necessary connection in operating position, the first perforated strap (20) is provided with a dovetail notch (20b) for each transversal border (20a) and, consequently, the second strap (50) has a corresponding T-shaped appendix (50b) for each transversal border

(50a).

Finally, it must be noted that, in all aforementioned versions of the tray of the invention, the two straps (2, 20 / 5, 50) can be provided with mutually fixing means also on the longitudinal borders, and not only on the free transversal borders.

An example of this solution is illustrated in Fig. 7, which shows a one- piece version of the invention with one perforated strap (2) provided with dovetail notches (2b) also on the longitudinal borders and with a second strap (5) provided with corresponding T-shaped appendixes (5b) also on the longitudinal borders.

Obviously, the fact that the two straps are fixed also on the longitudinal borders provides higher rigidity to the tray of the invention in its operating position, it being especially advantageous in case of trays with more than two glasses, as in the example of Fig. 7. It must be noted that, although the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the enclosed Figures are provided with T-shaped fixing means, different types of fixing means can be used, as long as they can be obtained with punching in the structure of the two straps that form the tray of the invention.

Likewise, without leaving the scope of the invention, the perforated strap may have a circular surface, with a series of holes for the glasses, being adapted to match with an upper diametral rectilinear strap that acts as handle.

Claims

1) Disposable tray used to hold glasses in an ordered way, characterised in that it is composed of a first strap (2, 20) made of cardboard, semirigid paper or any other equivalent material, provided with a series of holes (3) that can receive truncated-conical glasses from above, and a second strap (5, 50) made of the same material adapted to be fixed, in a removable way, at least in two opposite ends of the first strap (2), in order to assume a close, upper position.

2) Tray as defined in claim 1 , characterised in that the two straps (2, 5) are incorporated in the same strap (S), with a folding line (4) in intermediate position; it being provided that, in the said continuous strap (S), the first perforated strap (2) has a slightly smaller length than the second strap (5) and it being also provided that the transversal borders (2a, 5a) of the straps (2, 5) are provided with fast-coupling means obtained during the punching process used to obtain the entire strap (S). 3) Tray as defined in claim 2, characterised in that the second strap (5) has a folding line (4a) in parallel close position with respect to the first folding line (4) in intermediate position between the two straps (2, 5).

4) Tray as defined in claim 1 , characterised in that the two straps (20, 50) are mutually independent and the second strap (50) has a slightly higher length than the first strap (20); it being provided that each transversal border (20a) of the first strap (20) is provided with suitable means (20b) adapted to provide fast coupling with the means suitably provided on the transversal borders (50a) of the second strap (50).

5) Tray as defined in one or more of above claims, characterised in that the straps (2, 20 / 5, 50) are provided with mutually fixing means also on the longitudinal borders.

6) Tray as defined in one or more of above claims, characterised in that the cooperating means used for fast coupling of the borders of the said straps (2, 5 / 20, 50) consist in dovetail notches (2b, 20b) and corresponding T-shaped appendixes (5b, 50b). 7) Tray as defined in claim 2, characterised in that each strap (S) is connected with the interposition of suitable tear-off perforation lines (LS) to identical pieces in the same sheet of cardboard, semirigid paper or any other suitable material.