WO2021067282A1 - Gobelet pour boire doté d'un couvercle pliable intégré - Google Patents

Gobelet pour boire doté d'un couvercle pliable intégré Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2021067282A1
WO2021067282A1 PCT/US2020/053293 US2020053293W WO2021067282A1 WO 2021067282 A1 WO2021067282 A1 WO 2021067282A1 US 2020053293 W US2020053293 W US 2020053293W WO 2021067282 A1 WO2021067282 A1 WO 2021067282A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sidewall
flaps
cup
creases
configuration
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2020/053293
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Kin Shing CHAN
Kaanur Rodolfo PAPO
Original Assignee
Unocup Llc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Unocup Llc filed Critical Unocup Llc
Publication of WO2021067282A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021067282A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D3/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines
    • B65D3/02—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by shape
    • B65D3/08—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by shape having a cross-section of varying shape, e.g. circular merging into square or rectangular
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
    • B65D1/22—Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents
    • B65D1/26—Thin-walled containers, e.g. formed by deep-drawing operations
    • B65D1/265—Drinking cups
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D3/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines
    • B65D3/02—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by shape
    • B65D3/06—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by shape essentially conical or frusto-conical
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D3/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines
    • B65D3/10—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by form of integral or permanently secured end closure
    • B65D3/20—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by form of integral or permanently secured end closure with end portion of body adapted to be closed, by flattening or folding operations, e.g. formed with crease lines or flaps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
    • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
    • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
    • B65D2543/00046—Drinking-through lids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2543/00—Lids or covers essentially for box-like containers
    • B65D2543/00009—Details of lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers
    • B65D2543/00018—Overall construction of the lid
    • B65D2543/00324—Lids integrally moulded with the container, or with a connecting piece, and separated therefrom by rupturing the connection before the first use

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to drinking cups, and more particularly, to drinking cups which are foldable to different configurations for stacking, receiving latte art, and providing a spill- resistant cover to a liquid beverage.
  • Paper drinking cups generally have an open top, and thus require a detachable cover once they are filled with a liquid (e.g., coffee) and carried by the consumer to avoid spillage and help retain the temperature of the liquid.
  • the detachable cover is usually plastic, and has a flexible edge portion that can be ripped and bent backward to create a gap in the cover at the edge of the cup for the user to drink the liquid in the cup.
  • Other plastic covers contain pre-formed spouts that may be plugged with another plastic insert by the user as needed.
  • the conventional lid already has an opening, then this situation can also create spillage issues during transport.
  • the user may thus be provided with yet another piece of plastic to plug the pre-formed opening in the plastic lid (or an additional lid to cover the first lid) to ensure that the user can transport the coffee without spilling it.
  • Manufacturing conventional coffee cup lids and other such accessories requires additional machinery, real estate, time, materials, and labor, all of which contribute to significant energy consumption and CO2 emittance. Coffee cup lid production thus has a significantly negative impact on the environment.
  • Latte art is created by pouring microfoam (e.g., finely textured milk, typically made by pumping steam from an espresso machine into a pitcher of milk) into a shot of espresso.
  • microfoam e.g., finely textured milk, typically made by pumping steam from an espresso machine into a pitcher of milk
  • the resulting pattern or design on the surface of the latte can be created or embellished by drawing in the top layer of the foam on the coffee.
  • free pouring e.g., creating a pattern on the coffee during the pour
  • etching using a tool to create a pattern after the pour
  • Latte art is often presented in non-disposable, open-top cups made from glazed ceramic, which are not designed for take-out.
  • Customers who use disposable take-out cups generally add milk and/or sugar as desired, and then snap a separate cover over the rim of the disposable coffee cup.
  • an integrally formed coffee cup lid which is configurable to allow a user to drink directly from the rim of the cup, to stir contents (e.g., coffee) inside the cup, and to add milk, sugar, or other food items to the cup’s contents, all without obstructing the user’s hands or making it difficult for the user to perform these common coffee drinking activities.
  • contents e.g., coffee
  • the present invention relates to a disposable cup having a sidewall and a plurality of flaps bendable along respective creases in the sidewall to multiple configurations, with at least the following objectives:
  • a cup comprises a sidewall and a plurality of first, second, and third flaps arranged along a top end of the sidewall.
  • the flaps are bendable along respective creases in the sidewall to a stacking configuration and a closed configuration.
  • the first, second, and third flaps together at least partially define a concave cover to the cup and an elevated drinking spout.
  • a portion of the elevated drinking spout defines an opening in communication with the interior space, and the portion of the elevated drinking spout defining the opening is elevated relative to any other point on the concave cover.
  • a cup comprises a sidewall having a top end, a bottom end, and a first plurality of creases disposed along the top end.
  • the sidewall defines an interior space and a central axis extending in a longitudinal direction.
  • First, second, and third flaps are bendable about respective creases of the first plurality of creases, radially outward of the sidewall, to an open configuration in which the first, second, and third flaps are downwardly bendable to respective positions along an exterior surface of the sidewall.
  • the second and third flaps are movable radially inward of the sidewall to a closed configuration in which the first, second and third flaps at least partially define a concave cover to the cup and an elevated spout in communication with the interior space.
  • the sidewall includes a second plurality of creases formed in the sidewall below corresponding creases of the first plurality of creases, and the second and third flaps and respective portions of the sidewall are configured to bend about respective creases of the second plurality of creases to the closed configuration without bending the second and third flaps about the first plurality of creases.
  • the first plurality of creases take on a linear shape during bending of the first, second, and third flaps about the first plurality of creases, while the second plurality of creases maintain an arcuate shape in both the open and closed configurations, and during bending of the second and third flaps about the second plurality of creases.
  • a crescent-shaped region of the sidewall between a respective one of the first plurality of creases and a corresponding one of the second plurality of creases is aligned with surrounding regions of the sidewall in the open configuration, and oriented perpendicular to and radially inward of the surrounding regions of the sidewall in the closed configuration.
  • the first, second, and third flaps may each be bendable about respective creases of the first plurality of creases, up to 180 degrees radially inward of the sidewall to an interior surface of the sidewall, and up to 180 degrees radially outward of the sidewall, to an exterior surface of the sidewall.
  • the first, second, and third flaps may be bendable through a 360 degree range of motion, without ripping any portion of the cup.
  • the first plurality of creases are coplanar in the open and stacking configurations, but are not coplanar in the closed configuration.
  • the first and second flaps may define an inverted triangular space between them, and the first and third flaps may define an inverted triangular space between them.
  • the sidewall and the first, second, and third flaps are integrally formed. Bending of each of the first, second, and third flaps radially outward of the sidewall pushes a respective frustoconical portion of the sidewall radially inward toward the cup’s central axis against a spring bias of the sidewall, which is biased toward a convex shape.
  • the cup may further comprise a floor defining a bottom of the interior region of the cup. The bottom end of the sidewall can define a circular edge below the floor for supporting the cup in an upright position in any of the stacking, open, and closed configurations.
  • a method of transforming a cup into different configurations comprises providing a cup having a sidewall and a plurality of first, second, and third flaps arranged along a top end of the sidewall and extending upward from and aligned with the sidewall, bending the first, second, and third flaps into an open configuration in which the first, second, and third flaps extend downwardly along an exterior surface of the sidewall, and bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into a closed configuration in which the first, second and third flaps together define a concave cover to the cup and an elevated spout in communication with the interior space.
  • bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into the open configuration includes bending the first, second, and third flaps along a plurality of creases disposed at a top end of the sidewall, and bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into the closed configuration includes bending the first flap along one of the creases at the top end of the sidewall, and bending the second and third flaps along respective arcuate creases opposite corresponding creases at the top of the sidewall.
  • bending the plurality of first, second, and third flaps into the closed configuration includes bending the second and third flaps along the respective arcuate creases without bending the second and third flaps about any of the creases at the top end of the sidewall.
  • FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a cup in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, in an assembled but unfolded stacking configuration in which the flaps are aligned with and extend upward from the sidewall;
  • FIG. 2 is rear perspective view of the cup of FIG. 1, in the assembled unfolded stacking configuration
  • FIG. 3 is a view of a sheet of material used to form the cup of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the cup of FIG. 1, in a folded open configuration in which the flaps extend along an outer surface of the sidewall, radially outward of the sidewall;
  • FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the cup of FIG. 1, in a folded closed configuration, in which the flaps and portions of the sidewall extend radially inward, form a cover to the cup, and define an elevated spout;
  • FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of the cup in the assembled unfolded stacking configuration, showing a first flap provided with multiple creases;
  • FIG. 7 is side perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the cup in the assembled unfolded stacking configuration, and oriented for upside down stacking in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 8 A is a view of a sheet of material used to form a third alternative embodiment of the cup in which an anti-slosh tab is provided for sealing the spout in a closed configuration;
  • FIG. 8B is a side perspective view of the cup of FIG. 8A, in a folded closed configuration, in which the flaps and portions of the sidewall extend radially inward, form a cover to the cup, and define an elevated spout, and in which the anti-slosh tab is inserted between two flaps to cover the spout; and
  • FIG. 8C is another side perspective view of the cup of FIG. 8A, in which the anti slosh tab has been removed from the spout, and is shown extending from a drinking edge, radially outward of the sidewall.
  • the cup with integrated lid disclosed herein helps coffee sellers and customers contribute to waste reduction while retaining all the conveniences of drinking coffee out of an open cup and taking it to go. Using a simple three step, intuitive process, it can be repeatedly folded between several configurations as needed.
  • the cup uses a folding design which can be manipulated by a user to create a stacking configuration for nestling and stacking an array of the cups, an open container with unobstructed access for drinking and receiving latte art, and a closed configuration with an integrated cover.
  • the cup is easy to fold, hold, drink from, and reopen, allows for less spillage and sturdier holding, and provides an aesthetic appearance.
  • the cup also has a unique, sturdy, ergonomic shape, and provides an elevated drinking spout in the integrated lid whose slim elliptical shape naturally fits inside a person’s lips to create a smoother drinking experience with less spillage than traditional cups with separate plastic lids. It will be appreciated that the various embodiments of the inventive cup disclosed herein also allow for significant cost savings as they eliminate the need to manufacture, store, or ship plastic lids, and utilize a one-piece integrated structure optimized for mass-production using either existing traditional cup-making machines or plastic molding machines.
  • a cup 10 in accordance with the present invention is made from a single sheet of material 12, and includes a sidewall 14, a rear flap 16 extending from a rear section 17 of atop end 25 of sidewall 14, a side flap 18 extending from a side section 19 of top end 25 of sidewall 14, and an additional side flap 20 extending from an additional side section 21 of top end 25 of sidewall 14.
  • Rear flap 16, side flap 18, and additional side flap 20 respectfully extend from and are bendable about a first plurality of fold lines (creases) 22a, 22b, 22c in sidewall 14.
  • Side flap 18 and additional side flap 20 are also respectively bendable about a second plurality of fold lines (creases) 24a, 24b, as well as additional fold lines (creases) 26a, 26b in sidewall 14.
  • the various fold lines or creases described herein may be formed in any suitable way known in the art, including, for example, embossed, debossed, or scored to predefine the depression of the fold lines on interior and/or exterior surfaces.
  • the creases may be straight or curved as described herein.
  • Cup 10 also includes a floor 27 which may be separately attached to an interior surface 33 of sidewall 14 by any suitable means known in the art.
  • Floor 27 is generally circular-shaped, water resistant, and defines a bottom boundary of an interior region 28 in which coffee or another liquid is received.
  • Floor 27 may be made from the same material and with the same thickness as sidewall 14, and is preferably elevated relative an annular bottom section 30 of cup 10, which may be crimped to form a ring-shaped annular stand that supports cup 10 in an upright position.
  • Floor 27 may be similar to the floor of a conventional cup, or may be formed similar to the floor described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16/127,525, filed September 11, 2018, titled SPILL RESISTANT DISPOSABLE CUP, and published as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0077536, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
  • Bottom section 30 may be formed an any suitable manner typical of conventional coffee cups.
  • Sheet 12 which forms sidewall 14 and flaps 16, 18, 20 may have a curved/arcuate bottom end 11.
  • Sidewall 14 defines the interior region 28, as well as a central axis 29 extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction.
  • Sheet 12 which forms sidewall 14 may be made from a relatively stiff yet flexible material of any type suitable for liquids with a water-resistant lining.
  • sheet 12 may be made of wax lined paper of the type normally used in disposable coffee cups. Other plastic or composite materials may be utilized.
  • sidewall 14 may have a cylindrical or frustoconical shape.
  • rear flap 16, side flap 18, and additional side flap 20 extend longitudinally upward from and are aligned with sidewall 14 along creases 22a, 22b, 22c at top end 25 of sidewall 14.
  • flaps 16, 18, 20 extend vertically upward along and have the same curvature as side wall 14, whereby the outer surfaces of flaps 16, 18, 20 have the same convex shape as the outer surface of sidewall 14 (e.g., slightly bowed radially outward relative to central axis 29).
  • creases 22a, 22b, 22c along top end 25 of sidewall 14 are arcuate -shaped in a direction perpendicular to central axis 29.
  • arcuate-shaped creases 22a, 22b, 22c may also be coplanar in this stacking configuration (e.g., operatively disposed in a plane perpendicular to central axis 29).
  • cups 10 placed in this stacking configuration may be nestled together and stacked in the same way that conventional disposable cups are nestled and stacked.
  • a plurality of cups 10 may be nestled and stacked in the orientation of FIG 1, or upside down such that the bottom cup of the stack is supported by a support surface with the outer peripheries of flaps 16, 18, 20 touching the support surface.
  • Cup 10 is configured to balance on such a support surface in the upside-down stacked configuration because the outermost peripheries of each of flaps 16, 18, 20 lie in a plane perpendicular to flaps 16, 18, 20 when cup 10 is in the stacked configuration.
  • An example of this is shown with respect to an alternative cup embodiment in FIG. 7 (further discussed below), which is formed with slightly different structure.
  • all embodiments of cups disclosed herein may be stacked upside down as shown in FIG. 7.
  • rear flap 16 is trapezoidal shaped, and has a generally linear, horizontally extending top edge 32, and generally linear-shaped side edges 34, 36 extending from opposite sides of top edge 32 to top end 25 of sidewall 14.
  • portions of rear flap 16 are labelled 16’ at flap sections 38a, 38b. Flap 16 is formed when these two sections are brought together in the assembled configurations described herein.
  • Rear flap 16 may have the same thickness as sidewall 14, and be made from the same material thereof.
  • Crease 22a extends across and defines the entire bottom of rear flap 16. Crease 22a is slightly bowed radially outward relative to central axis 29, but each point along crease 22a is approximately the same distance from the circular bottom of cup 10.
  • Rear flap 16 is formed when rear flap sections 38a, 38b of sheet 12 (FIG. 3), are brought together and sealed along longitudinally extending overlap region/seam 40, which extends from top edge 32, through seam 22a, to annular bottom section 30 of cup 14.
  • sheet 12 may be curled such that rear flap sections 38a, 38b overlap.
  • Such overlapping surfaces may be permanently connected to each other using conventional food-safe adhesives such as a silicone-based adhesive.
  • Alternative joining methods may be used, such as paper fusion by high compression pressure with paper edges overlapped or folded into one another.
  • crease 22a does not extend all the way to flaps 18, 20 (e.g., crease 22a does not intersect or overlap with crease 22b or 22c). This is because rear flap 16 and side flap 18 define an inverted triangular gap 35 therebetween, and rear flap 16 and additional side flap 20 also define an inverted triangular gap 37 therebetween. These gaps 35, 37 allows flaps 16, 18, 20 to independently bend about creases 22a, 22b, 22c.
  • side flap 18 is trapezoidal in shape with a rounded comer. It has a top edge 42 which is relatively flat at one end 42a and curved at an opposite end 42b. Side edges 44, 46 extend from opposite sides of top edge 42 to top end 25 of sidewall 14. Side flap 18 may have the same thickness as sidewall 14, and may be made from the same material thereof.
  • Crease 22b extends across and defines the entire bottom of side flap 18. Crease 22b is slightly bowed radially outward relative to central axis 29, but each point along crease 22b is approximately the same distance from the circular bottom of cup 10. As shown, crease 22b does not extend all the way to flap 20 (e.g., crease 22b does not intersect or overlap with crease 22c). Side flap 18 and additional side flap 20 define a gap 39 therebetween, and can independently bend about creases 22b, 22c.
  • creases 24a and 26 a extend below crease 22b in sidewall 14.
  • Crease 24a is arcuate -shaped in both the direction perpendicular to central axis 29 and in the downward direction along the surface of the sidewall 14. In other words, points along crease 24a are not coplanar in any plane because in this configuration, side flap 18, through which crease 24a extends, is convex. Crease 24a is concave along sidewall 14 under crease 22b.
  • Side flap 18 also defines slot 48, which is provided as a U-shaped opening with a flexible tab 50, and is configured to receive a tab 52 on additional side flap 20 in interlocking engagement therewith.
  • Additional side flap 20 is also trapezoidal in shape with a rounded comer. It has a top edge 54 which is relatively flat at one end 54a and curved at an opposite end 54b. Top edge 54 also defines the upper boundary of tab 52 as shown. Side edges 56, 58 extend from opposite sides of top edge 54 to top end 25 of sidewall 14. Additional side flap 20 may have the same thickness as sidewall 14, and may be made from the same material thereof. It will be appreciated that tab 52 may alternatively be formed with its upper boundary in line with adjacent portions of top edge 54 such that it contacts a mounting surface, along with the adjacent portions of top edge 54, when cup 10 is stacked upside down (further discussed below with respect to FIG. 7). Slot 48 may similarly be modified to accommodate tab 52.
  • Crease 22c extends across and defines the entire bottom of additional side flap 20. Crease 22c is slightly bowed radially outward relative to central axis 29, but each point along crease 22c is approximately the same distance from the circular bottom of cup 10. As shown, crease 22c does not extend all the way to side flap 18 (e.g., crease 22c does not intersect or overlap with crease 22b) due to gap 39 described above.
  • Creases 24b and 26b a extend below crease 22c in sidewall 14.
  • Crease 24b is arcuate shaped in both the direction perpendicular to central axis 29 and in the downward direction along the surface of the sidewall 14. In other words, points along crease 24b are not coplanar in any plane since in this configuration, additional side flap 20 through which crease 24b extends is convex, and crease 24b is concave along sidewall 14 under crease 22c.
  • cup 10 to be folded from the stacking configuration of FIGS. 1-2 to the open configuration of FIG. 4 and the closed configuration of FIG. 5.
  • flaps 16, 18, 20 of cup 10 have all been respectively bent 180 degrees about creases 22a, 22b, 22c, radially outward of sidewall 14, and now extend downwardly along an outer surface 60 of sidewall 14.
  • creases 22a, 22b, 22c are generally linear shaped in the flattened configuration of FIG. 3, in the assembled stacking configuration of FIGS. 1-2, when they are bowed outward away from longitudinal axis 29, they each lie in a plane which cuts through top end 25 (e.g., each of their projections onto a longitudinal plane is linear, not concave).
  • crease 22a appears linear because the projection thereof onto a longitudinal plane which includes central axis 29 and passes through slaps 18, 20 is linear.
  • creases 22b, 22c appear linear because projections thereof onto a longitudinal plane, which includes central axis 29 and passes through rear flap 16, are linear. Flaps 16, 18, 20 are thus free to bend 180 degrees radially outward against the convex/outward spring bias of sidewall 14 without ripping any portion of the sidewall or the flaps 16, 18, 20. Creases 22a, 22b, 22c take on an actual linear shape during bending of flaps 16, 18, 20 radially outward as convex sidewall 14 is pushed radially inward in areas underneath flaps 16, 18, 20. It will be appreciated that in this open configuration of FIG.
  • rear flap 16 and side flap 18 define a triangular gap 41 between side 34 of rear flap 16 and side 44 of side flap 18 (previously inverted triangular gap 35 in the stacked configuration), and that rear flap 16 and additional side flap 20 define a triangular gap 43 between side 36 of rear flap 16 and side 56 of additional side flap 20 (previously inverted triangular gap 37 in the stacked configuration).
  • flaps 16, 18, 20 are designed to allow for complete access to interior portion 28 of cup 14 without impediment by flaps 16, 18, 20. Users can thus receive cup 14 in the stacked configuration of FIGS. 1-2 with coffee inside, in three simple motions, independently bend each of flaps 16, 18, 20 to the configuration of FIG. 4, and draw latte art on the surface of coffee in cup 14. It will be appreciated that the three flap design disclosed herein also allows the user to easily drink out of cup 10 in the open configuration.
  • flaps 16, 18, 20 may include advertising, branding, and messaging such that while in the stacking configuration, the advertising is prominently displayed on the flaps, and while in the closed configuration, on the lid of cup 10. When the user is done drawing latte art and/or desires to leave with coffee remaining, he/she can then reconfigure cup 10 from the open configuration to a closed configuration of FIG. 5 with an integrated lid.
  • the user can transform cup 10 to the closed configuration of FIG. 5 from either the stacking configuration of FIGS. 1-2 or the open configuration of FIG. 4.
  • crescent-shaped region 62 of sidewall 14 under flap 18 is defined by creases 24a, 22b (FIGS. 1, 3).
  • crescent-shaped region 64 of sidewall 14 is defined by creases 24b, 22c.
  • side flap 18 may be pushed and folded downward in a radially inward direction toward central axis 29 as it bends about crease 24a in sidewall 14 while staying aligned with crescent-shaped region 62.
  • the radially outer surface of side flap 28 and the radially outer surface of crescent-shaped region 62 change in shape from convex to concave as crescent shaped region 62 and side flap 18 are folded ninety degrees radially inward toward central axis 29. As this folding occurs, crease 26a allows for bending of adjacent sidewall material 66 to prevent ripping of sidewall 14 or flap 18.
  • additional side flap 20 may be pushed and folded downward in a radially inward direction toward central axis 29 as it bends about crease 24b in sidewall 14 while staying aligned with crescent-shaped region 64.
  • the radially outer surface of side flap 20 and the radially outer surface of crescent-shaped region 64 change in shape from convex to concave as crescent-shaped region 64 and additional side flap 20 are folded ninety degrees radially inward toward central axis 29. As this folding occurs, crease 26b allows for bending of adjacent sidewall material 68 to prevent ripping of sidewall 14 or flap 20.
  • rear flap 16 is bent ninety degrees radially inward about crease 22a, which takes on a linear shape as the convex region of sidewall 14 immediately underneath rear flap 16 is pushed radially inward.
  • crescent-shaped region 66 of sidewall 14 and side flap 18 are together folded approximately ninety degrees radially inward about crease 24a as described above, to a position which overlaps rear flap 16.
  • crescent-shaped region 64 of sidewall 14 and additional side flap 20 are together folded approximately ninety degrees radially inward about crease 24b as described above, to a position which overlaps side flap 18 and rear flap 16.
  • tab 52 of additional flap 20 is inserted into slot 48 of side flap 18 by interference fit with slot 48 and tab 50.
  • rear flap 16, side flap 18, additional side flap 20, crescent-shaped region 64, and crescent-shaped region 66 together define a multi-layered cover 70 for cup 10 which seals coffee inside and minimizes or prevents spillage if cup 10 is dropped with coffee therein.
  • cover 70 is concave and defines an elevated spout 72 from which the user may drink coffee contained in cup 10.
  • Spout 72 is defined in the shape of a narrow opening or slit by drinking edge 74 at top end 25 of sidewall 14, and by curved side edges 46, 58 of flaps 18, 20 bent into this covered configuration.
  • spout 72 defines a thin elliptical opening 73. Both spout 72 and opening 73 defined thereby are elliptical shaped, elevated relative to any other point on the lid, and tilted at an upward angle (e.g., inclined in a direction where the user’s mouth will be placed to drink from cup 10). A portion of spout 72 defining opening 73 is formed by double edge 75A, 75B of second and third flaps 18, 20.
  • spout 72 allows spout 72 to be easily inserted between the lips of a user, and make for a smoother drinking experience compared to plastic lids, which must be ripped and often leave asymmetric openings which are too large and/or cause spillage and user frustration.
  • Spout 72 by defining opening 73 at an elevated location relative to the rest of the entire cup 10, does not allow coffee to easily escape, even when the lid of cup 10 is pressed or when cup 10 is shaken or quickly moved.
  • narrow opening 73 eliminates or limits spillage from cup 10.
  • Narrow opening 73 also prevents spillage when a user drinks therefrom.
  • cup 10 will likely strike the ground at the bottom or side thereof, and coffee spillage, if any, will be very limited due to the narrowness of opening 73 and the slightly tortuous flow path (e.g., to escape, liquid must flow against a sharply defined interior concavity in sidewall 14, a flow path which is unlikely to be navigated by liquid in cup 10 unless a user specifically holds cup 10 in a drinking position tilted toward him/her with spout 72 in his/her mouth).
  • These advantages are all achieved without any separable pieces from cup 10.
  • drinking edge 74 may be integrally formed with a removable anti slosh tab to seal spout 72 in the closed configuration.
  • the concavity of flaps 18, 20 joined by interference fit helps keep cover 70 closed. Cup 10 can be reopened by simply removing tab 52 from slot 48, and unfolding flaps 20, 18, 16 back to the stacked or open configuration.
  • FIG. 5 can also be reached from the open configuration of FIG. 4 by simply rotating flaps 16, 18, 20 about creases 22a, 22b, 22c to the stacked configuration of FIGS. 1-2, and then folding flaps 16, 18, 20 and crescent shaped regions 62, 64 of sidewall 14 about creases 24a, 24b as described above. Cup 10 can be repeatedly folded back and forth between any of these configurations as desired.
  • a cup 200 is formed exactly the same as cup 10, with all of the same structure, function, and features thereof, except that in cup 200, rear flap 216 includes both a first arcuate shaped crease 222a and a second arcuate shaped crease 223a.
  • First arcuate shaped crease 222a may be formed with a curved/arcuate shape (as shown or with an even sharper curve) such that when folded into the closed configuration, rear flap 216 has a concave surface which provides more of a downward pushing force on side flaps 218, 220, which renders cup 200 even more spill resistant in the closed configuration.
  • rear flap 216 is bent about second arcuate shaped crease 223a, which may take on a linear configuration as flap 216 is bent backwards (radially outward).
  • side flap 218 includes creases 222b, 224a and fold line 226a
  • side flap 220 includes creases 222c, 224b and fold line 226b.
  • Cup 200 is thus configurable to stacked, open, and closed configurations as described above.
  • a cup 300 is formed exactly the same as cup 10, with all of the same structure, function, and features thereof, except that in cup 300, tab 352 of side flap 320 is formed with a peripheral edge 353 which is aligned with and lies in the same plane as top edge 354 of side flap 320, and top edge 342 of side flap 318. It will be appreciated that peripheral edge 353 of tab 352 increases the total surface area touching a contact surface, and thus improves the stability of stacked cups.
  • tab 352 functions to both lock into a corresponding slot (hidden) in side tab 318 in a closed configuration (as described above with respect to cup 10), and to contact a support surface and add further stability to cup 300 when cup 300 is at the bottom of a stack with the stacked cups oriented upside down.
  • a cup 400 is shown which is formed exactly the same as cup 10, with all of the same structure, function, and features thereof, except that in cup 400, an anti-slosh tab 480 is provided which is detachably coupled to drinking edge 474 at the top of sidewall 414, and tab 452, similar to tab 352, is formed with a flatter peripheral edge 453 which is aligned with and lies in the same plane as top edge 454 of side flap 420 in the assembled configuration and top edge 442 of side flap 418 (e.g., in FIG.
  • Anti-slosh tab 480 is foldable, and can be fixed between rear flap 416 and side flap 418 to obstruct liquid (e.g., coffee) from escaping through opening 473 (FIG. 8C).
  • Anti-slosh tab 480 extends from drinking edge 474, and includes neck portion 482 and bulbous portion 484.
  • Neck portion 482 is relatively narrow to facilitate removal of anti-slosh tab 480 (e.g., by tearing along neck portion 482), and to easily manipulate anti-slosh tab 480 and bend it between the configurations of FIGS. 8B-8C.
  • neck portion when bent and forced radially, thus forcing bulbous portion 484 between flaps 418, 420 with neck portion 480 covering opening 473.
  • Neck portion 482 may be provided with crease or fold 486 at drinking edge 474, which takes on a linear shape during bending of anti-slosh tab 480 radially inward of sidewall 414.
  • Other shapes and configurations of anti-slosh tab 480 may be utilized.
  • Cup 400 may also be provided with a fill line 490 (FIG. 8A) as a suggestion to a user (e.g., a barista) pouring the coffee.
  • Fill line 490 may be drawn or sketched, or formed as a crease or fold. Since flaps 16, 18, 20 and portions of sidewall 14 are pressed radially inward to form a concave cover/lid as described herein, fill line 490 may be spaced from the top of cup 400 at a distance where flaps 16, 18, 20 will not interfere with coffee at or below fill line 490 in the assembled configuration during closure.
  • One or more fill lines 490 may be placed at varying distances (e.g., 1 inch, 1.5 inches, etc.) depending on whether the customer desires milk, cream, and the like. It will also be appreciated that if the customer will only drink from cup 400 in the open configuration, then fill line 490 may be ignored.
  • inventive cup e.g., a cup for one-time use
  • inventive cup can be manufactured using a molding machine or die instead of a paper cup machine, and formed with any suitable reusable material of sufficient elasticity (e.g., reusable plastic, bagasse, and the like), whereby the integrated lid (e.g., the three flaps and the crescent-shaped regions of the sidewall) are bendable into the various configurations described herein, and preferably spring biased toward the unfolded stacking configuration.
  • any suitable reusable material of sufficient elasticity e.g., reusable plastic, bagasse, and the like
  • the invention described herein provides a cup configurable to stacking, open, and closed/covered configurations which allow for stacking, latte art, and spill prevention, all using a single folded sheet of material which can be folded into each of these configurations without ripping or removing any portions of the cup using a simple, intuitive, three-step process.
  • the invention has been described in the context of a number of embodiments and multiple variations and examples thereof. It is to be understood, however, that other variations, shapes, materials, methods of manufacture, and structures may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. [0067] Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims as presented or subsequently amended be interpreted as including the embodiments described herein, the alternatives mentioned above, and all equivalents thereto.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Stackable Containers (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un gobelet jetable qui comprend une paroi latérale et une pluralité de premier, deuxième et troisième rabats disposés le long d'une extrémité supérieure de la paroi latérale. Les rabats peuvent être pliés le long de plis respectifs dans la paroi latérale jusqu'à une configuration d'empilement, une configuration ouverte et une configuration fermée. Dans la configuration d'empilement, les premier, deuxième et troisième rabats s'étendent vers le haut depuis la paroi latérale et sont alignés avec celle-ci, ce qui permet d'emboîter et d'empiler de multiples gobelets. Dans la configuration ouverte, les premier, deuxième et troisième rabats peuvent être pliés vers le bas jusqu'à des positions respectives le long d'une surface extérieure de la paroi latérale, qui permet un accès complet à un liquide dans le gobelet et le dessin sur la surface du liquide contenu à l'intérieur du gobelet sous la forme de l'art du latté. Dans la configuration fermée, les premier, deuxième et troisième rabats définissent ensemble un couvercle concave sur le gobelet et un bec verseur surélevé pour boire le liquide.
PCT/US2020/053293 2019-09-30 2020-09-29 Gobelet pour boire doté d'un couvercle pliable intégré WO2021067282A1 (fr)

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US201962908497P 2019-09-30 2019-09-30
US62/908,497 2019-09-30

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3809310A (en) * 1971-03-01 1974-05-07 Brown Co Hexagonal container for food products or the like
US5358175A (en) * 1993-03-17 1994-10-25 Dopaco, Inc. Cup container with intergral closure
US20100314434A1 (en) * 2009-06-12 2010-12-16 Peter Herman Vessel and Method for Making the Same
US20180070750A1 (en) * 2016-09-09 2018-03-15 Metsä Board Oyj Paper cup, a blank for a paper cup, and use of a paper cup
US20190077536A1 (en) * 2017-09-12 2019-03-14 Kin Shing Chan Spill resistant disposable cup

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3809310A (en) * 1971-03-01 1974-05-07 Brown Co Hexagonal container for food products or the like
US5358175A (en) * 1993-03-17 1994-10-25 Dopaco, Inc. Cup container with intergral closure
US20100314434A1 (en) * 2009-06-12 2010-12-16 Peter Herman Vessel and Method for Making the Same
US20180070750A1 (en) * 2016-09-09 2018-03-15 Metsä Board Oyj Paper cup, a blank for a paper cup, and use of a paper cup
US20190077536A1 (en) * 2017-09-12 2019-03-14 Kin Shing Chan Spill resistant disposable cup

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