U.S. patent application number 10/617213 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-15 for double cup separable into upper and lower sections.
Invention is credited to Kang, Sung-Mo.
Application Number | 20040007573 10/617213 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 30116332 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040007573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kang, Sung-Mo |
January 15, 2004 |
Double cup separable into upper and lower sections
Abstract
A double cup capable of containing snacks and drinks in a
separate manner is provided so as to allow consumers to enjoy
snacks and drinks at the same time. The double cup is divided into
an upper section and a lower section through an auxiliary member
having a drinking straw insertion portion, and the auxiliary member
is a disk having a tapered outer periphery or an auxiliary cup
having a shape same as that of the main cup. The auxiliary member
is an auxiliary cup having a recess of a predetermined shape formed
at the side surface of the auxiliary member, and the auxiliary cup
has a stopper formed along an outer periphery of the top of the
auxiliary cup in such a manner that an outer periphery of the
auxiliary cup excluding the recess contacts an inner periphery of
the main cup when inserted into the main cup, and the stopper is
disposed onto the top of the main cup. The space defined between
the main cup and the recess of the auxiliary cup forms a drinking
straw insertion portion.
Inventors: |
Kang, Sung-Mo; (Kyoungki-do,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Martin Abramson
EDELL, SHAPIRO & FINNAN, LLC
1901 Research Boulevard, Suite 400
Rockville
MD
20850-3164
US
|
Family ID: |
30116332 |
Appl. No.: |
10/617213 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10617213 |
Jul 11, 2003 |
|
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09987239 |
Nov 14, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/4.27 ;
220/709 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/065
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/4.27 ;
220/709 |
International
Class: |
B65D 006/28; B65D
008/18; A47G 019/22 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A double cup comprising a main cup and an auxiliary cup, wherein
said auxiliary cup has a shape which is the same as that of said
main cup, and wherein said auxiliary cup has a recess formed at an
outer periphery of a lower surface of said auxiliary cup, said
auxiliary cup being coupled to an upper portion of said main cup
through said recess, wherein said auxiliary cup has a hole with a
protrusion extending to a predetermined height and formed at a
lower surface of said auxiliary cup.
2. The double cup of claim 1 wherein the periphery of the upper
surface of said main cup comprises a rounded portion having a top
and wherein said recess in said lower surface of said auxiliary cup
extends only so far as the top of said rounded portion.
3. The double cup of claim 2 wherein said rounded portion has a
part which extends outwardly from said cup outwards of said top of
said rounded portion, wherein there is no part of said auxiliary
cup which overlies said part.
4. The double cup of claim 2 wherein said double cup consists only
of two pieces, said two pieces being said main cup and said
auxiliary cup.
5. The double cup of claim 3 wherein said double cup consists only
of two pieces, said two pieces being said main cup and said
auxiliary cup.
Description
[0001] The present application is a divisional of application Ser.
No. 09/987,239 filed Nov. 14, 2001, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a double cup which is
capable of containing snacks and drinks in a separate manner so as
to allow consumers to enjoy snacks and drinks at the same time.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a double cup in
which a disk or cup type auxiliary member with a variety types of
drinking straw insertion portions formed thereat is inserted into
the main cup so as to divide the interior of the main cup into an
upper section and lower section. Thus, consumers drink beverages
through straws from the main cup and eat snacks from the auxiliary
member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In general, people enjoy convenience foods such as fried
chicken or french fried potatoes in places like theater, park or
passenger compartment of motor vehicle, together with drinks such
as water, coke, soda pop and juice. In such cases, two containers
are required for drinks and foods, respectively, and consumers have
to use both hands to hold each container. Thus, consumers may
suffer from inconveniences of using both hands, increasing the risk
of spilling drinks or snacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides a new and improved double cup
which overcomes the drawbacks enumerated above caused due to the
configuration where containers for drinks and snacks are arranged
in an individual manner.
[0005] It is an object of the prevent invention to provide a double
cup capable of containing snacks and drinks at the same time into a
single cup configuration so as to thereby reduce material
consumption, and increase user conveniences by allowing users to
drink or eat food in a convenient manner while holding the cup with
one hand.
[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
double cup having a main cup which is separable into an upper
section and a lower section through an auxiliary member, while
preventing drink from entering the auxiliary member which contains
snacks.
[0007] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a double cup equipped with means for allowing the drink
contained in the main cup and food contained in the auxiliary
member to be readily refilled or replaced.
[0008] To accomplish the above objects of the present invention,
there is provided a double cup having a main cup separable into an
upper section and a lower section through an auxiliary member
having a drinking straw insertion portion formed thereat.
Preferably, the auxiliary member is a disk having a tapered outer
periphery or an auxiliary cup having a shape similar to the shape
of the main cup. More preferably, the disk or auxiliary cup has a
drinking straw guide rod which is hollow and has a predetermined
height.
[0009] The auxiliary member is an auxiliary cup having a recess
formed at a side surface of the cup, in which the cup has at an
upper outer periphery thereof a stopper so as to allow the outer
periphery of the auxiliary cup excluding the recess of the
auxiliary cup to be inserted into the main cup, while contacting
the inner periphery of the main cup. Thus, the stopper is fitted to
the upper outer periphery of the main cup so as to be disposed onto
the main cup. The space between the main cup and auxiliary cup
forms a drinking straw insertion portion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1a is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
double cup according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 1b is a perspective view illustrating a disk serving as
an auxiliary member in the first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a double
cup according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIGS. 3a and 3b are sectional views illustrating the coupled
state of the double cup shown in FIG. 2;
[0014] FIGS. 4, 5a and 5b illustrate alternative embodiments of the
double cup of the second embodiment of the present invention,
wherein FIG. 4 and FIG. 5a are exploded perspective views of the
double cup shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5b is a section view
illustrating the coupled state of the double cup shown in FIG.
2;
[0015] FIG. 6a is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
double cup according to a third embodiment of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 6b is an exploded perspective view illustrating an
alternative embodiment of the double cup of the third embodiment of
the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view according to a fourth
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0018] A double cup of the present invention will be explained in
more detail with reference to the attached drawings. Throughout the
specification and drawings, identical elements bear identical
reference numerals with identical functions.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1a, an auxiliary member shaped as a disk
31 having a tapered outer periphery contacting the inner periphery
of a main cup 10, is inserted into the main cup 10. The disk 31 has
at a center thereof a hole 51 formed for insertion of a drinking
straw 20, wherein the hole 51 can be formed at any desired
position.
[0020] FIG. 1b is a perspective view illustrating an alternative
embodiment of the disk serving as an auxiliary member in the double
cup of the first embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1b, a disk 31a has
at a center thereof a drinking straw guide rod 51a which is hollow
and allow a drinking straw to be inserted into the drinking straw
guide rod 51a. Preferably, the drinking straw guide rod 51a has a
height reaching the entrance of the main cup when the disk 31a is
mounted to the main cup 10. The drinking straw guide rod 51a
prevents snacks from being wet by the liquid(drink) when snacks are
contained in the space defined by the disk 31a in the upper portion
of the main cup 10. Further, the drinking straw guide rod 51a
prevents snacks from entering the main cup containing liquid.
[0021] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a double
cup according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 2, an auxiliary cup 33 having a shape similar to
that of the main cup 10 is inserted into the main cup so as to
divide the main cup 10 into an upper section and a lower section.
The auxiliary cup 33 has a tapered slope same as or larger than the
tapered slope of the main cup 10, such that the auxiliary cup 33
gets caught at a predetermined position of the main cup 10 when
inserted into the main cup, thus allowing the lower space of the
main cup 10 defined by the auxiliary cup to function as a container
for drink. The auxiliary cup 33 has a hole 53 so as to allow the
drinking straw to be inserted into the hole.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 3a, the auxiliary cup 35 has a recess 35a
formed at the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the
auxiliary cup 35 so as to allow the auxiliary cup 35 to be coupled
to the upper outer periphery of a main cup 11 through the recess
35a. The recess 35a formed at the auxiliary cup 35 contacting a
rolled upper end 11a of the main cup 11. Referring to FIG. 3b, the
auxiliary cup 35 has a recess 35b shaped to be fit to a round
protrusion 11b protruded inwardly from the top of the main cup 11.
The recess 35b formed at the auxiliary cup 35 increases rigidity of
the coupled state between the main cup 11 and the auxiliary cup 35,
as compared with the recess 35a shown in FIG. 3a. The auxiliary cup
35 has a hole 55 for insertion of the drinking straw 20, wherein
the hole 55 has an outer periphery 55a protruded to a predetermined
height. The outer periphery 55a prevents snacks(S) from being
wetted by a beverage(B), and functions similarly to the drinking
straw guide rod 51a shown in FIG. 1b.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 4, an auxiliary cup 37 has along an upper
outer periphery thereof a stopper 37a, such that the outer
periphery of the auxiliary cup 37 contacts the inner periphery of
the main cup 10 when the auxiliary cup is inserted into the main
cup. Thus, the stopper 37a gets caught at the top of the main cup
10. Preferably, the auxiliary cup 37 has a tapered slope same as
that of the main cup 10, and a height same as or lower than the
height of the main cup 10.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b, the double cup has a
configuration same as the double cup shown in FIG. 4, except that a
drinking straw guide rod 59 which is hollow forms a drinking straw
insertion portion. The drinking straw guide rod 59 prevents snacks
contained in the auxiliary cup 39 from being wetted by the
beverage. Reference numeral 39a denotes a stopper for allowing the
auxiliary cup 39 to be mounted at the outer periphery of the top of
the main cup 10.
[0025] FIG. 6a is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
double cup according to the third embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 6b is an exploded perspective view illustrating
a double cup as an alternative embodiment of the third
embodiment.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 6a. an auxiliary cup 41 having a recess
41b formed at the side surface of the auxiliary cup 41 is employed
as an auxiliary member for dividing the main cup 10 into an upper
section and a lower section. The auxiliary cup 41 has a stopper 41a
formed at the top of the outer periphery of the auxiliary cup 41,
such that the auxiliary cup gets caught at the top of the main cup
10 through the stopper 41a. The recess 41b formed at the side
surface of the auxiliary cup 41 forms a space for insertion of the
drinking straw between the main cup 10 and the recess 41b of the
auxiliary cup 41, when the auxiliary cup 41 is inserted into the
main cup in such a manner that the outer periphery of the auxiliary
cup 41 but the recess 41b contacts the inner periphery of the main
cup 10. The double cup shown in FIG. 6b differs from the double cup
shown in FIG. 6a, in that the one shown in FIG. 6b has a surface
43b formed by cutting out a portion of the side wall of an
auxiliary cup 43. Reference numeral 43a denotes a stopper. The
space defined between the surface 43b of the auxiliary cup 43 and
the inner periphery of the main cup 10 allows the main cup of the
auxiliary cup to be readily refilled with beverage or snacks. The
double cup of the present invention eliminates the necessity of
forming a drinking straw hole at the auxiliary cup, to thereby
prevent snacks contained in the auxiliary cup from being wetted by
the beverage contained in the main cup.
[0027] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a double
cup according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 7, the auxiliary member is an auxiliary cup 45
having a stopper 45a formed at the top of the auxiliary cup and
surfaces 45b and 45c formed at the side surfaces of the cup. The
outer periphery of the auxiliary cup 45 excluding surfaces 45b and
45c contacts the inner periphery of the main cup 10 when the
auxiliary cup 45 is inserted into the main cup 10. Thus, the
stopper 45a contacts the top of the main cup. Holes 61a and 61b are
formed at the stopper 45a of the auxiliary cup so as to allow
drinking straws 20a and 20b to be inserted into holes 61a and 61b.
The double cup according to the fourth embodiment of the present
invention allows two consumers to eat snacks contained in the
auxiliary cup 45 or drink beverage contained in the main cup 10 at
the same time.
[0028] As described above, a double cup of the present invention is
advantageous in that the cup is divided into upper and lower
sections through a variety types of auxiliary members so as to
contain snacks and beverages at the same time, thus reducing
materials for manufacturing cups and allowing consumers to eat or
drink in a convenient manner.
[0029] Further, the present invention has a hollow drinking straw
guide rod formed at the auxiliary member so as to prevent beverages
from entering the auxiliary member containing snacks.
[0030] The double cup of the present invention has a recess or
plane surface formed at the side surface of the auxiliary cup, such
that the main cup and auxiliary cup can be easily refilled with
snacks or drink through the space formed between the inner
periphery of the main cup and the recess or plane surface formed at
the auxiliary cup.
[0031] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been
illustrated and described, it should be understood that the
invention is not limited to the specifics of these embodiments, but
rather is defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *