WO2013072075A1

WO2013072075A1 - Disposable drinking cup

Info

Publication number: WO2013072075A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/054186
Authority: WO
Inventors: Taavo LINK
Original assignee: OÜ Cups Innovation
Priority date: 2011-11-17
Filing date: 2012-03-12
Publication date: 2013-05-23
Also published as: EE01136U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a disposable drinking cup (1) comprising a side wall (5), a bottom wall (10) and a dosing device (15) having at least one dosage compartment (20) between an internal wall (30) and an external wall (45). The material (25) intended for the preparation of a drink is located in the dosage compartment (20). The internal wall (30) is formed by the bottom wall (10) or the side wall (5) and facing the interior of the drinking cup (1) and comprises at least one hole (33, 35, 40) with a flap (44), connecting the dosage compartment (20) with the interior of the drinking cup (1). The external wall (45) is deformable from the exterior of the drinking cup (1).

Description

DISPOSABLE DRINKING CUP

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the drinking cup, where inside of the cup a drink can be prepared by adding a liquid into the cup. More specifically, the present invention relates to a disposable drinking cup with a dosing device enabling preparation of a drink for consumption inside the drinking cup by adding a liquid (such as hot water) into the drinking cup.

Background Art

Utility model CN 2495212 Y of the People’s Republic of China (publ. 19.06.2002) discloses a disposable drinking cup, which bottom part includes a separated section with tea inside and where the drinking cup has holes at the bottom for leading of liquid into the section comprising tea.

International patent application WO 2000/024298 A1 (publ. 04.05.2000) discloses a disposable drinking cup, which bottom part comprises a separated section with a tea bag placed inside. The part of the section on the side towards the drinking cup is equipped with holes, through which the liquid poured into the drinking cup can enter the section with a tea bag.

Such solution does not ensure sufficient circulation of the liquid between the separated section and the interior of the drinking cup, in order to mix the material located in the section (tea or any other material) into the liquid for the preparation of a drink. Also such use does not enable the user to adjust the strength of the drink.

Disclosure of Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide a drinking cup, where the shortages of the former background art have been eliminated.

For this purpose, the present invention discloses a drinking cup, preferably a disposable drinking cup, which comprises a dosing device for preparation of a drink with designated material, enabling to mix the liquid and the material designated for preparation of a drink through operation of the dosing device upon addition of liquid, preferably water, into the drinking cup, and adjust the strength of the drink with the mentioned dosing device, if necessary.

Adjustment of the strength of the drink may be recommended for example in case of tea or coffee, where some users prefer strong coffee or tea, while the others prefer weaker coffee or tea.

The present invention discloses a disposable drinking cup comprising side wall of the drinking cup and bottom wall of the drinking cup, defining the interior of the drinking cup.

A drinking cup of the invention comprises a dosing device with at least one dosage compartment fixed inside the drinking cup, where the material designated for the preparation of a drink is located in the dosage compartment of the dosing device.

Internal wall of the dosage compartment is facing the interior of the drinking cup (i.e. internal wall is adjacent to the interior of the drinking cup) and comprises at least one hole with a flap, through which the dosage compartment of the dosing device is connected with the interior of the drinking cup.

The flap and the hole can be formed in mutually integrated manner, i.e. a hole is formed as a flap valve: for example the flap can be formed on the bottom wall of the drinking cup with two intersecting slots or incisions cut through the bottom wall, forming four bending tabs, which in turn form the flap and creating a hole in case of bending. In another option the flap can be formed with a separate bending element or elements fixed onto the hole.

External wall of the dosing device is deformable from outside the drinking cup.

In the first embodiment of the present invention the dosing device is fixed on the bottom wall of the drinking cup.

In the preferred embodiment of the first embodiment the internal wall of the dosage compartment of the dosing device is formed by the bottom wall of the drinking cup.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention the dosing device is fixed on the side wall of the drinking cup.

In the preferred embodiment of the second embodiment the internal wall of the dosage compartment of the dosing device is formed by the side wall of the drinking cup.

Preferably the hole or holes connecting the dosage compartment of the dosing device with the interior of the drinking cup are equipped or formed with a flap that is normally closed.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention the flap is closed, when the pressure levels in the dosage compartment and the interior of the drinking cup are equal. By causing excess pressure in the dosage compartment by e.g. exerting pressure on the external wall of the dosage compartment, this flap is designed to open, providing connection between the interior of the drinking cup and the dosage compartment. This flap is also designed to open in case of negative pressure in the dosage compartment, e.g. in case when after stopping the exertion of pressure on the external wall of the dosage compartment the external wall returns to the initial position, thus causing negative pressure in the dosage compartment.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the holes connecting the dosage compartment of the dosing device with the interior of the drinking cup are equipped with flaps, of which at least one first flap enables the flow of liquid only from the interior of the drinking cup into the dosage compartment and of which at least one other flap enables the flow of liquid only from the dosage compartment into the interior of the drinking cup.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the material designated for preparation of drink is placed in the dosage compartment into a liquid-permeable bag.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the material designated for preparation of drink is located between the external wall of the dosing device and the water-permeable membrane.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention the material designated for preparation of drink is located in the dosage compartment of the dosing device between its external and internal wall. Such material may be e.g. in the form of syrup, jam or tablet.

In the preferred embodiments of the present invention the bending and deformable external wall of the dosing device comprises a bellows part.

In a third embodiment of the present invention the dosing device of the drinking cup comprises at least two separate dosage compartments for different materials soluble in liquid.

In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention at least the side wall of the drinking cup is equipped with heat insulation.

The material held in the dosage compartment of the drinking cup of the present invention for the preparation of drink is tea drink powder, coffee drink powder, cocoa drink powder or energy drink powder, jam and/or syrup. The material held in the dosage compartment may also be pressed into a tablet. This list is not limited to the abovementioned materials – it is evident for the persons skilled in the art that the dosage compartment of the dosing device of the drinking cup of the present invention may accommodate any material enabling preparation of a drink by adding a liquid or by dissolution said material in a liquid.

Side wall and bottom wall of the drinking cup is preferably made of cardboard etc., covered with a watertight layer (preferably in all parts of the construction, including the flaps). Alternatively the drinking cup can be made of plastic (including plastic foam). Disposable drinking cups and their manufacturing of cardboard or plastic is well known for those skilled in the art and therefore it is not described more in detail.

Brief Description of Drawings

Further the invention and its specific embodiments are described in detail with references to the accompanying drawings, where:
Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a drinking cup according to the first embodiment of the invention, where the dosing device is located on the bottom wall of the drinking cup;
Figure 2 is a schematic view of the bottom of a drinking cup with a dosing device of Figure 1 viewed from the mouth of the drinking cup;
Figure 3 is a schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the dosing device of a drinking cup of Figure 1 in a situation of exertion of pressure from outside;
Figure 4 is a schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the dosing device of a drinking cup of Figure 1 in a situation when the exertion of pressure from outside has stopped;
Figure 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a drinking cup of the first embodiment of the invention with a flap of an alternative embodiment, where the dosing device is located on the bottom wall of the drinking cup;
Figure 6 is a schematic view of the bottom of a drinking cup with a dosing device of Figure 5 viewed from the mouth of the drinking cup;
Figure 7 is a schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the dosing device of Figure 5 in a situation of exertion of pressure from outside;
Figure 8 is a schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the dosing device of a drinking cup of a Figure 5 in a situation when the exertion of pressure from outside has stopped;
Figure 9 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a drinking cup of the second embodiment of the invention, where the dosing device is located on the bottom wall of the drinking cup;
Figure 10 is a schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the dosing device of a drinking cup of Figure 9 in a situation of exertion of pressure from outside;
Figure 11 is a schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the dosing device of a drinking cup of Figure 9 in a situation when the exertion of pressure from outside has stopped;
Figure 12 is a schematic view of the dosing device of a drinking cup of Figure 9 viewed from the mouth of the drinking cup;
Figure 13 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a drinking cup of the third embodiment of the invention, where the dosing device is located on the side wall of the drinking cup.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The embodiments of the invention are now described with the accompanying schematic drawings. On different drawings and embodiments the same elements and details bear the same reference numbers. On the drawings the material of the wall and bottom of the drinking cup is shown thicker than actual to enable better depiction of their configuration.

In the embodiments shown on the drawings the drinking cup 1 is formed by a conical side wall 5 and in main part a planar bottom wall 10, which define the interior of the drinking cup 1 for storage of a liquid.

A drinking cup of the invention is characterized in that the dosing device 15 is fixed on the bottom wall 10 (embodiments on Figure 1 to 12) or side wall 5 (embodiment on Figure 13) of the drinking cup.

The dosing device 15 comprises dosage compartment 20 with the material 25 inside, upon which mixing with a liquid (preferably water) a drink will be prepared inside the drinking cup 1.

In the embodiments shown on the drawings the material 25 designated for the preparation of a drink is contained in a bag 60, which can be e.g. a water-permeable bag comprising crushed tea or powder.

In the embodiments shown on Figures 1 to 12 the dosing device 15 has been fixed to the bottom wall 10 of the drinking cup 1 in such way that the bottom wall 10 of the drinking cup 1 is forming the internal wall 30 of the dosage compartment 20.

In the embodiment shown on Figure 13 the dosing device 15 has been fixed to the side wall 5 of the drinking cup 1 in such way that the side wall 5 of the drinking cup 1 is forming the internal wall 30 of the dosage compartment 20.

In other aspects the four abovementioned embodiments are similar. The embodiment shown on Figures 1 to 4 is different from the embodiment shown on Figures 5 to 8 only for the fact that on Figures 1 to 4 the hole 33 and the flap 44 are mutually integrated.

In the embodiments shown on the drawings the external wall 45 of the dosing device 15 comprises a bellows part 65. The external wall 45 of the dosing device 15 can be deformed from outside the drinking cup 1 by applying of force (shown with letter F on Figures 3, 7 and 10). The bellows part 65 will increase compressibility of the external wall 45.

In the embodiments shown on Figures 1 to 8 the internal wall 30 of the dosage compartment 20 is facing the interior of the drinking cup 1 (i.e. internal wall 30 is adjacent to the interior of the drinking cup 1) and the internal wall 30 comprises a hole 33, connecting the dosage compartment 20 of the dosing device 15 with the interior of the drinking cup 1. The hole 33 connecting the dosage compartment 20 of the dosing device 15 with the interior of the drinking cup 1 is formed as a flap 44 consisting of intersecting slots 34. The slots 34 form four tabs, which bending to one or another side of the bottom wall 10 will open the hole 33. In a normal situation, i.e. when the pressure of the dosage compartment 20 and the interior of the drinking cup is equal on both sides of the flap 44, this flap 44 and thus also the hole 33 would be closed.

In the embodiments shown on Figures 9 to 13 the internal wall 30 of the dosage compartment 20 is facing the interior of the drinking cup 1 (i.e. internal wall 30 is adjacent to the interior of the drinking cup 1) and the internal wall 30 comprises two

holes

35 and 40, connecting the dosage compartment 20 of the dosing device 15 with the interior of the drinking cup 1. The

holes

35 and 40 connecting the dosage compartment 20 of the dosing device 15 with the interior of the drinking cup 1 are equipped with the

flaps

50 and 55.

In the embodiments shown on Figures 9 to 13 the position of the first flap 50 in relation to the hole 35 enables flow of liquid from the dosage compartment 20 into the interior of the drinking cup 1. The position of the second flap 55 in relation to the hole 40 enables a flow of liquid from the interior of the drinking cup 1 into the dosage compartment 20.

In the use of a drinking cup 1 of the embodiment shown on Figures 1 to 8 e.g. hot water is poured into the cup. After this, pressure is exerted on the external wall 45 of the dosing device 15, resulting in its deformation and decrease of the volume of the dosage compartment 2 (Figures 3 and 7). When exertion of pressure on the external wall 45 is stopped, the external wall 45 will bounce back to the initial position – during bouncing back, hot water is drawn into the dosage compartment 20 through the hole 33 upon deformation of the flap 44 formed by the slots 34 (Figures 4 and 8). This flap 44 can be formed by a separate element, as on the accompanying drawings, but it can also be achieved by using the slots 34 of the bottom wall 10 of the drinking cup 1 for the formation.

In the use of a drinking cup 1 shown on Figures 9 to 13 e.g. hot water is poured into the cup. After this, pressure is exerted on the external wall 45 of the dosing device 15, resulting in its deformation and decrease of the volume of the dosage compartment 2 (Figure 10). When exertion of pressure on the external wall 45 is stopped, the external wall 45 will bounce back to the initial position – during bouncing back, hot water is drawn into the dosage compartment 20 through the hole 40 upon opening of the flap 55 (Figure 11).

It is evident for a person skilled in the art that the hole or holes connecting the dosage compartment with the interior of the drinking cup need not inevitably be equipped with flaps. For example, the holes can be located in the internal wall of the dosage compartment in the form of several small holes, i.e. perforation.

Hot water will affect the material 25 in the dosage compartment 20, which is soaked in hot water (e.g. granulated tea leaves) or dissolved into the water. With the second press on the external wall 45 of the dosing device 15 the water mixed with the material 25 needed for the preparation of a drink is pressed through the hole 33 opening due to the deformation of the flap 44 (Figure 3 and 7) or through the hole 35 opened by the flap 50 (Figure 10) back into the interior of the drinking cup 1. Upon repeated exertion of pressure on the external wall 45 of the dosing device 15 a water is pumped through the dosage compartment 20. Depending on the number of pumping actions, the potency of the drink prepared in the drinking cup 1 (e.g. in case of tea or coffee) can be adjusted.

In another embodiment (not shown on the drawings) the material 25 intended for the preparation of a drink may be located in the dosage compartment 20 of the dosing device 15 between its external wall 45 and the water-permeable membrane (without the bag 60).

The material 25 can be placed in the dosage compartment 20 in the form of tablet, dry matter, syrup, jam, powder, granules etc.

In a yet another embodiment (not shown on the drawings) the material 25 intended for the preparation of a drink (tablet, syrup, jam etc.) may be located in the dosage compartment 20 between the external wall 45 of the dosage compartment of the dosing device 15 and its internal wall 30, i.e. freely, without the bag 60 and without the membrane.

Also the dosing device 15 may comprise two separate dosage compartments, e.g. one for tea or coffee powder and the other for sugar or any other component.

In the embodiments shown on the drawings the side wall 5 of the drinking cup 1 is equipped with heat insulation 70, to enable holding of the drinking cup 1 comprising hot drink and to prevent quick cooling of the drink.

Preferably the external wall 45 of the dosing device 15 is also covered with heat insulation 75 on the outside, to avoid burning of a finger or thumb due to the heating of the wall 45 by hot water pumped into the dosage compartment 20.

It is evident for an expert skilled in the art that in addition to tea drink powder, coffee drink powder, cocoa drink powder or energy drink powder the mentioned dosage compartment may accommodate any other materials/substances enabling preparation of drinks through their soaking or dissolution in the water.

It is evident for an expert skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the abovementioned embodiments, but the invention has various other embodiments within the limits of the provided claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 drinking cup
5 side wall of the drinking cup
10 bottom wall of the drinking cup
15 dosing device
20 dosage compartment
25 material for preparation of a drink
30 internal wall of the dosage compartment
33 hole
34 slot
35 hole
40 slot
44 flap
45 external wall of the dosage compartment
50 flap
55 flap
60 bag
65 bellows part
70 heat insulation
75 heat insulation

Claims

Disposable drinking cup (1), comprising a side wall (5) of the drinking cup (1) and a bottom wall (10) of the drinking cup (1), defining the interior of the drinking cup (1),

characterized in that

the drinking cup (1) comprises the dosing device (15) with at least one dosage compartment (20),

where the material intended for the preparation of a drink (25) is located in the dosage compartment (20),

where the internal wall (30) of the dosage compartment (20) is facing the interior of the drinking cup (1) and comprises at least one hole (33, 35, 40) with a flap (44, 50, 55), connecting the dosage compartment (20) of the dosing device (15) with the interior of the drinking cup (1), and

where the external wall (45) of the dosing device (15) is deformable from the outside of the drinking cup (1).
Drinking cup according to claim 1, characterized in that the dosing device (15) has been formed on the bottom wall (10) of the drinking cup (1).
Drinking cup according to claim 1, characterized in that the dosing device (15) has been formed on the side wall (5) of the drinking cup (1).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the hole (33) connecting the dosage compartment (20) of the dosing device (15) with the interior of the drinking cup (1) has been formed as a normally closed flap (44).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the holes (35, 40) connecting the dosage compartment (20) of the dosing device (15) with the interior of the drinking cup (1) are equipped with flaps (50, 55), of which at least one first flap (55) enables the flow of liquid only from the interior of the drinking cup (1) into the dosage compartment (20) and of which at least one second flap (50) enables the flow of liquid only from the dosage compartment (15) into the interior of the drinking cup (1).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the material intended for the preparation of a drink (25) is located in the dosage compartment (20) in a liquid-permeable bag (60).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the material intended for the preparation of a drink (25) is located in the dosage compartment (20) between the external wall (45) of the dosing device (15) and water-permeable membrane.
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bending and deformable external wall (45) of the dosing device (15) comprises a bellows part (65).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal wall (30) of the dosage compartment (20) of the dosing device (15) has been formed by the bottom wall (10) of the drinking cup (1).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal wall (30) of the dosage compartment (20) of the dosing device (15) has been formed by the side wall (5) of the drinking cup (1).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dosing device (15) comprises two separate dosage compartments.
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the side wall (5) of the drinking cup (1) is equipped with heat insulation (70).
Drinking cup according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material (25) stored in the dosage compartment (20) for the preparation of a drink is tea drink powder, coffee drink powder, cocoa drink powder, energy drink powder, jam, syrup or a tablet of a water-soluble material.