WO2013142925A2

WO2013142925A2 - Beverage container with a cup

Info

Publication number: WO2013142925A2
Application number: PCT/BG2013/000010
Authority: WO
Inventors: Georgi Georgiev; Evgeniy GOTEV; Kiril STOIMENOV
Original assignee: Georgi Georgiev; Gotev Evgeniy; Stoimenov Kiril
Priority date: 2012-03-30
Filing date: 2013-03-28
Publication date: 2013-10-03
Also published as: WO2013142925A3

Abstract

The invention will find wide application in the production and supply of drinks, including beer and soft drinks intended for final consumers. It allows for easy maintenance and secures hygiene. The cup may holds the label and/or allows external designing. The material used for the container can be freely selected from among known in the art materials used for making containers for beverages - glass or other. Container with a cup comprising a hollow body (2) with a bottom (3) and an opening with a cap (1). The hollow body (2) has a reduced dimensions section (4), covered from the outside with the cup (5) which is engaged to it with a detachable connection (6). The cup (5) and the reduced dimensions section (4) have the same height corresponding to the height of the hollow body (2). The hollow body has annular indentation (7) in its top part, corresponding to the thickness of the cup (5) leaning against it.

Description

BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH A CUP

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to a beverage container with a cup which invention will find wide application in the production and supply of drinks, including beer and soft drinks intended for final consumers.

STATE OF THE ART

There are different known technical solutions intended for consumers of beverages, such as beer or soft drinks, to have the possibility of using a cup attached to the beverage container, instead of drinking from a bottle.

For example, a bottle container for beverages with enclosed drinking cups is known from patent application WO2006056816; it has an external cylindrical shape, ending at the top with a narrowed section and an opening with a cap and a specifically shaped bottom. This bottom includes a cylindrical concave. A set of cups is placed in the cylindrical concave and it is fixed there by an adhesive, protective and securing sanitary band. It is recommended that the material of the bottle and the cups be transparent so that the colour of the drink in it (usually a soft drink) can be seen. The disadvantage of this container is that it has a complicated technological making due to the shape of the bottle bottom and the need to use several technological processes in order to fix the cups in place. Moreover, the ratio between the volume of the cups and the volume of the bottle provided by this solution is inappropriate to use for soft drinks especially, in view of the many times smaller volume of the cups possible.

Another container known from patent application WO2008/112579 and consisting of a bottle with a cup, made of pure plastics, which comprises a bottle body, usually cylindrical in shape, having a narrowed upper end and a threaded opening for the cap. The cup is combined and includes a cylindrical part with an open top end and a closed bottom end, to which a cap that is integrally provided having its inner part shaped according to the threads of the bottle opening. The top end of the combined cup is placed at the beginning of the cylindrical body of the bottle, where an annular bulge is provided securing tight fit; the internally integrated cap is engaged with the opening of the bottle. The disadvantage of this container is that it is a must to remove the cup in order to use the content of the bottle, and vice versa, in order to even temporarily close the bottle while using it one would either have to look for other means of closing or the cup would have to be drained and then the bottle could be closed. I.e. there is a significant inconvenience to the consumer, who is furthermore denied the choice whether to remove the cup or not. Another disadvantage is the increased complexity of forming the cap-cup, not being justified by the limited results achieved and by its applicability as a disposable one.

A multifunctional beer bottle which comprises a hollow body with a narrowed upper part with an opening is also known from patent application CN201816986. A small bag is arranged on the outer side surface of the bottle body, containing a bottle opener; a cup is arranged at the bottom end of the bottle body and is in threaded connection with the bottle body forming a detachable connection. Despite its multifunctionality this combined bottle has disadvantages that the ratio between the volume of the cup and the volume of the bottle is inconvenient for the direct consumer. There are also technological disadvantages, since when the cup is fixed according to the solution, the total height of the bottle becomes much greater, this resulting in modification of the transportation packaging and when supplied to the market it would require the introduction of shelves with sizes different from the ones already established for this product.

Another bottle container is known, according to patent application JP2001031094, designed to keep soft drinks and made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The container comprises a hollow cylindrical body and a narrowed upper part with an opening and a cap. The bottom part, approximately 1/3 of the height of the cylindrical body of the container, has reduced dimensions and the cup is attached to it covering the outside of this narrowed bottom part of the container. A detachable connection is provided for connecting the cup to the container formed by a rim made on the bottle and a corresponding indentation made on the cup, and vice versa. There is a sealing tape externally on the whole cylindrical surface of the bottle, covering also the connection between the bottle and the cup. This sealing tape holds also the label. A disadvantage of the known solution is that it is only applicable to containers made of PET and is not suitable for use with containers made of other materials such as inter alia glass and metal. Furthermore, the sealing tape that covers the entire height of the bottle creates inconvenience for the user in removing the cup and creates risks for environmental pollution and/or a need for additional volumes for waste disposal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to create a beverage container with a cup which is applicable both with plastic bottles and with bottles made of glass, as well as with metal cans for drinks, providing ease of use and securing hygiene, as well as creating an opportunity both to shape the overall external appearance of the container and to modify it by using known technological methods while preserving the overall size of the containers.

The aim was achieved by a beverage container with a cup, which comprises a hollow body with a bottom and an opening with a cap. The hollow body has a reduced dimensions section covered from the outside with the cup. The cup is engaged to the reduced dimensions section by a detachable connection. According to the invention, the cup and the reduced dimensions section have the same height corresponding to the height of the hollow body. The hollow body has, in the top part, an annular indentation corresponding to the thickness of the cup leaning against it. The cup holds the label and/or allows external designing and when installed it forms the general shape of the container.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the detachable connection is formed at the edge of the cup and in the indentation of the hollow body.

According to another embodiment, the detachable connection is formed at the bottom of the cup and at the bottom of the hollow body by matching male and female parts where the detachable connection is located. It is suitable the hollow body of the container for beverages with a cup to represent a bottle with a narrowing neck that extends above the annular indented part to the opening with the cap.

Another embodiment is provided where the hollow body of the beverage container with a cup is a can.

The detachable connection may be selected from any known type, such as bayonet type, screw type, push on type or click-clack type.

It is good the edge of the cup and the annular indentation to be covered with a protective tape.

The advantages of the invention are that the container with a cup may have a hollow body made of glass or any other material used for the storage of beverages, including beer or soft drinks, usually up to 1000 ml. The invention allows for easy maintenance and secures hygiene. Furthermore, the specific location and connection of the cup covering the whole hollow body of the container from the outside allow formation of the overall look and shape of the container and its modification by using known technological methods while preserving the overall dimensions of the container as a whole. Since, according to the invention, the cup holds the label and/or allows external designing, its surface is meant to allow placement of advertising messages and labelling. The main advantage is that the hollow body may represent any container such as a bottle, a can or the like and may have an ordinary shape while the specific design identifying the manufacturer, may be achieved through a specific design of the cup and through the graphical representation of the respective manufacturer on its surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 presents an overview of the beverage container with a cup, according the invention, and shows a schematic label, which merely illustrates the possibilities provided by the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a view of the bottle container when the cup is removed;

Fig. 3 shows only the cup with the respective design; Fig. 4 - schematic vertical section of the container with a cup, subject of the invention, in an embodiment with a detachable connection at the edge of the cup;

Fig. 5 - schematic vertical section of the container with cup in an embodiment with a detachable connection at the bottom of the cup and at the bottom of the hollow body of the container, according to the invention;

Fig. 6 - view of the container of Fig. 4 when the cup is removed;

Fig. 7 - vertical section of the removed cup in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 - schematic vertical section of the container with a cup in an embodiment with the hollow body made as a can, according to the invention;

Fig. 9 - side view of the container shown in Fig. 8 - the cup is removed;

Fig. 10 - vertical section of the removed cup in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 - partial side view of the hollow body and the threaded detachable connection and partial section of the cup;

Fig. 12 - partial side view of the click-clack detachable connection and partial section of the cup;

Fig. 13 - detail on A-A of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 - detail on A-A of Fig. 12 in an embodiment with a push on type detachable connection between the hollow body of the container and the cup;

Fig. 15 - partial view of the detachable connection, covered with a protective tape; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a beverage container with a cup, which comprises an opening with a cap 1 and a hollow body 2 with bottom 3. The hollow body 2 has a reduced dimensions section 4 covered from the outside by the cup 5. The cup 5 is attached to reduced dimensions section 4 by a detachable connection 6. According to the invention the cup 5 and reduced dimensions section 4 have the same height, which in turn corresponds to the height of the hollow body 2. The hollow body has in its top part an annular indentation 7, corresponding to the wall thickness of the cup 5 leaning against it. Furthermore, the cup 5 holds the label 8 and/or allows external designing 9 and when installed the cup forms the general shape of the container.

It is envisaged that, according to one embodiment of the invention, the detachable connection 6 is formed at the edge of the cup 4 and in the annular indentation 7 of the hollow body 2. With this embodiment connections of bayonet type, screw type, push on type or click-clack type or any other known type of detachable connection may be used. It is suitable that the annular indentation 7 and the edge of the cup 5 be covered by a protective tape 10 providing the required hygiene for the container use.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the detachable connection 6 is formed at the bottom 11 of the cup and at the bottom 3 of the hollow body 2. In this case, matching male 12 and female 13 parts are foreseen where the detachable connection 6 is located. It is suitable that the male part 12 is located on the inside of the bottom 11 of the cup 5 and that the female part 13 is formed on the outside of the bottom 3 of the hollow body 2 of the container, as shown in Figures 5 to 7. Connections of bayonet, screw, push on or click-clack type or of any other known detachable connection type may be used in this embodiment as well.

The hollow body 2 may be of any shape, such as cylindrical, prismatic or any other easily produced forms.

The hollow body 2 by itself may be a bottle with a narrowing neck 14 which extends over the annular indentation 7 to the opening with the cap 1, but it may also be a can. In both cases there is a reduced dimensions section 4, shaped by the annular indentation 7 and this indentation corresponds to the thickness of the cup 5.

The material used for the hollow body 2 of the container can be freely selected from among known in the art materials used for making containers for beverages. In some cases, such as beer bottling, the container may be made of glass in combination with a cup 5 made of disposable material as described below. Of course, glass may also be used for making the hollow body 2 of containers for any other drink.

The cup may be transparent, allowing the colour of the bottle or the can to be seen, if selected to be in colour, whereas the colour of the bottle or the can serves as a background for the label 8. Of course, this is just one of the options provided in accordance with the invention. There are other embodiments of the cup 5. It may be coloured, either with the colour of the bottle or the can, or with a different colour. The cup may also be opaque if this contributes to the desired visual effect and to achieve an attractive appearance of the product. Moreover, its external shape may be selected and formed according to the desired overall outer shape of the container. The cup can be made of any material appropriate for disposable products. Rapidly degradable plastics are particularly suitable because they are easily processed and coloured, while not polluting the environment.

The possibilities of using various types of detachable connections for engaging the cup 5 to the reduced dimensions section 4 are illustrated in Figures 11 through to 14. For example, Fig. 11 shows a detachable connection 6, which is screw type. In the example shown, a male threaded curve 15 is formed immediately beneath the annular indentation 7 of the hollow body 2 on the surface of the reduced dimensions section 4. The respective female threaded curve 16 is formed on the inner surface at the edge of the cup 5. The cup 5 is engaged by winding the screw connection, and vice versa, it is released by unwinding in the opposite direction.

Appropriate for this purpose is also a detachable connection 6 of the click-clack type as shown in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. In this case, an annular protrusion 17 is formed on the hollow body 2 and on the inner surface at the edge of the cup 5 there are spaced apart protrusions 18 by which the detachable connection 6 is performed. The cup itself is engaged by pushing in and is released by pulling out.

Similar protrusions 18 at the edge of the cup 5 may be used in the implementation of a bayonet type detachable connection 6. In this case, immediately beneath the annular indentation 7 of the hollow body 2 on the surface of the reduced dimensions section 4 there is a number of male threads corresponding to the number of protrusions 18 at the edge of the cup 5 (not shown). The engaging of the cup 5 is performed by gentle turning in one direction and its release, by turning in the opposite direction.

A detachable connection 6 of the push on type is shown in Fig. 14. It comprises an annular protrusion 17 formed on the hollow body 2 and on the inner surface at the edge of the cup there is a springy protruding portion 19. To engage or release the cup 5 from the reduced dimensions section 4 of the hollow body 2, pressure should be exerted.

Similar types of detachable connections 6 are intended to be used in cases where they are formed at the bottom 11 of the cup and at the bottom 3 of the hollow body 2, according to the embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 5 to 7, by matching a male portion 12 and a female portion 13 where the detachable connection 6 is located.

USE OF THE INVENTION

The invention shall be implemented in the production of containers for beverage, mainly beer and soft drinks. It is intended for volumes up to 1000 ml, since they are easily portable and fit for one-time consumption.

The containers themselves shall be made according to commonly used technologies for the production of bottles or cans. The specific thing is that the invention allows the production of unlimited quantities of standard hollow bodies 2 for containers following one-time investment to develop a matrix for the container with the required annular indentation 7 of its hollow body 2. The cup 5 shall be made separately. It can be selected as desired by the beverage manufacturer in form and decoration, and may be labelled with no restrictions on the colour, layout or the specific material. Engagement of the two parts takes place by way of a detachable connection 6, as selected according to any of the proposed embodiments. It is also possible to use other known relevant detachable connections 6 without going beyond the scope of protection of the invention. The area at the edge of the cup 5 and the annular indentation 7 shall be preferably covered with a protective tape 10 which is to be removed by the end user of the drink when he/she wants to use the cup.

Claims

1. Beverage container with a cup comprising a hollow body with a bottom and an opening with a cap where the hollow body has a reduced dimensions section covered from the outside with the cup which is engaged to it with a detachable connection characterized in that the cup (5) and the reduced dimensions section (4) have the same height corresponding to the height of the hollow body (2), which in its top part has annular indentation (7) corresponding to the thickness of the cup (5) leaning against it and the cup (5) holds the label (8) and/or allows external designing (9), and when installed it forms the general shape of the container.

2. Beverage container with a cup according to claim 1 characterized in that the detachable connection (6) is formed at the edge of the cup (5) and in the annular indentation (7) of the hollow body (2).

3. Beverage container with a cup according to claim 1 characterized in that the detachable connection (6) is formed at the bottom (11) of the cup (5) and at the bottom (3) of the hollow body (2) with matching male part (12) and female part (13) where the detachable connection (6) is located.

4. Beverage container with a cup according to any of claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the hollow body (2) represents a bottle with a narrowing neck (14) extending over the annular indentation (7) to the opening with the cap (1).

5. Beverage container with a cup according to any of claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the hollow body (2) is a can.

6. Beverage container with a cup according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the detachable connection (6) is of the bayonet type.

7. Beverage container with a cup according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the detachable connection (6) is of the screw type.

8. Beverage container with a cup according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the detachable connection (6) is of the push on type.

9. Beverage container with a cup according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the detachable connection (6) is of the click-clack type.

10. Beverage container with a cup according to any of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that the edge of the cup (5) and the annular indentation (7) are covered with a protective tape (10).