U.S. patent application number 10/851236 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-28 for disposable cup with fold-down lid.
Invention is credited to Howes-Jones, Daryl J., Kleynhans, Gregory John, Sarson, George E..
Application Number | 20040211823 10/851236 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31188360 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040211823 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sarson, George E. ; et
al. |
October 28, 2004 |
Disposable cup with fold-down lid
Abstract
The cup has a lid portion extending up from one side of the cup,
configured to flip down into the body of the cup, along a first
score line, going from convex to concave, so as to close the
otherwise open top of the cup. Flaps extend preferably from the lid
portion near its lateral intersections with the cup body outwardly
from the cup, or alternatively from the cup body in the same area,
but inwardly. In either case, the flaps overlie what might
otherwise be a small gap between the lid and the cup body in that
area. This reduces any possibility for liquid to escape via that
small gap. In the case of the flaps extending outwardly from the
lid, the flaps also tend to act as stops against excessive downward
rotation of the lid, and provide an easy way to lift the lid to
open the cup, if desired. The cup preferably but not necessarily
has two secondary fold lines extending from the first score line to
the outer edge of the lid portion, near opposite sides of the lid
portion, which assists in holding the lid down once closed.
Inventors: |
Sarson, George E.;
(Kitchener, CA) ; Howes-Jones, Daryl J.;
(Kitchener, CA) ; Kleynhans, Gregory John;
(Guelph, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP
WORLD EXCHANGE PLAZA
100 QUEEN STREET SUITE 1100
OTTAWA
ON
K1P 1J9
CA
|
Family ID: |
31188360 |
Appl. No.: |
10/851236 |
Filed: |
May 24, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10851236 |
May 24, 2004 |
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10303010 |
Nov 25, 2002 |
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6758390 |
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60396123 |
Jul 17, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
229/128 ;
229/125.02; 229/199; 229/404; 229/902 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 3/30 20130101; B65D
3/20 20130101; Y10S 229/902 20130101; B65D 3/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/128 ;
229/125.02; 229/199; 229/404; 229/902 |
International
Class: |
B65D 003/20 |
Claims
1. A disposable cup having a body portion and a lid portion, said
lid portion extending upwardly from one side of said body portion
of the cup when in an open position, and arranged to flip from
convex to concave along an arcuate first score line into a position
within the body of the cup and across the otherwise open top of the
cup when in a closed position, said lid portion having flaps
extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides thereof so as to
overlie lateral edges of said body portion adjacent opposing areas
where said lid portion meets said body portion.
2. A disposable cup as in claim 1, wherein said flaps have a score
line generally aligned with upper edges of said body portion when
said lid portion is in said closed position, to facilitate folding
said flaps downwardly along the body portion of the cup.
3. A disposable cup as in claim 1, wherein said lid portion has two
secondary score lines extending from the first score line to the
outer edge of the lid portion, in a generally vertical direction
when said lid portion is in the open position, near opposite sides
of said lid portion.
4. A disposable cup as in claim 1, wherein said lid portion has
reinforcement pieces bonded thereto to provide a double layer and
therefore added strength to at least portions thereof.
5. A disposable cup as in claim 1, wherein said body portion has an
upper edge angling downwardly from opposite ends of said first
score line away from said lid portion, to a horizontal lip portion
thereby providing said cup with a reduced height compared to a
corresponding cup without said downward angling.
6. A disposable cup having a body portion and a lid portion, said
lid portion being integral with or secured to said body portion to
extend upwardly from one side of said body portion of the cup when
in an open position, and arranged to flip from convex to concave
along an arcuate first score line into a position within the body
of the cup and across the otherwise open top of the cup when in a
closed position, said cup body having flaps extending laterally
inwardly from each side thereof so as to overlie lateral edges of
said body portion adjacent opposing areas where said lid portion
meets said body portion.
7. A disposable cup as in claim 6, wherein said flaps have a score
line to facilitate folding said flaps downwardly along the body
portion of the cup.
8. A disposable cup as in claim 6, wherein said lid portion has two
secondary score lines extending from the first score line to the
outer edge of the lid portion, in a generally vertical direction
when said lid portion is in the open position, near opposite sides
of said lid portion.
9. A disposable cup as in claim 6, wherein said lid portion has
reinforcement pieces bonded thereto to provide a double layer and
therefore added strength to at least portions thereof.
10. A disposable cup as in claim 6, wherein said body portion has
an upper edge angling downwardly from opposite ends of said first
score line away from said lid portion, to a horizontal lip portion
thereby providing said cup with a reduced height compared to a
corresponding cup without said downward angling.
11. A disposable cup having a body portion and a lid portion, said
lid portion being integral with or secured to said body portion to
extend upwardly from one side of said body portion of the cup when
in an open position, and arranged to flip from convex to concave
along an arcuate first score line into a position within the body
of the cup and across the otherwise open top of the cup when in a
closed position, wherein said lid portion has reinforcement pieces
bonded thereto to provide a double layer and therefore added
strength to at least portions thereof.
12. A disposable cup having a body portion and a lid portion, said
lid portion being integral with or secured to said body portion to
extend upwardly from one side of said body portion of the cup when
in an open position, and to flip into a position within the body of
the cup and across the otherwise open top of the cup when in a
closed position, and at least one primary feature selected from the
list comprising the following primary features: a flap extending
outwardly from said lid portion so as to overlie lateral edges of
said body portion adjacent opposing areas where said lid portion
meets said body portion; a flap extending inwardly from said body
portion so as to overlie lateral edges of said body portion
adjacent opposing areas where said lid portion meets said body
portion; a flap extending outwardly from said lid portion so as to
overlie lateral edges of said cup adjacent opposing areas where
said lid portion meets said body portion, the flap having an
extension to fit under an edge of the cup lip; a flap extending
inwardly from said body portion so as to overlie lateral edges of
said cup adjacent opposing areas where said lid portion meets said
body portion, the flap having an extension to fit under an edge of
the cup lip; and at least one secondary feature selected from the
list comprising the following secondary features: the lid portion,
or a portion thereof, being a separate piece from the cup body;
secondary score lines extending from the first score line to the
outer edge of the lid portion, in a generally vertical direction
when said lid portion is in the open position, near opposite sides
of said lid portion; reinforcement pieces glued or otherwise bonded
to said lid portion; and said body portion having an upper edge
angling downwardly from opposite ends of said first score line away
from said lid portion, to a horizontal lip portion thereby having a
reduced height.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/303,010,
filed Nov. 25, 2002, which was a formal application based on and
claiming the benefit of provisional application Ser. No.
60/396,123, filed Jul. 17, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to disposable cups, and in particular
to improvements to disposable cups of the type having a lid portion
extending upwardly from one side of a body portion of the cup,
configured to flip into a closed position within the body of the
cup. Such cups are described generally in the inventors' U.S. Pat.
No. 6,176,420, granted on Jan. 23, 2001, and corresponding Canadian
patent no. 2,311,058, granted on Jan. 8, 2002.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Various features of the cups described in the inventors'
prior patents, referred to above, have been modified in order to
improve the cups generally, and/or to adapt the cups to certain
specific uses.
[0004] The lid portion of the cup flips down into the body of the
cup, along a first score line, going from convex to concave, as
described in detail in the inventors' prior patents. In the present
invention, elements variously referred to as flaps or wings extend
preferably from the lid portion near its lateral intersections with
the cup body outwardly from the cup, or alternatively from the cup
body in the same area, but inwardly. In either case, the flaps
overlie what might otherwise be a small gap between the lid and the
cup body in that area. This reduces any possibility for liquid to
escape via that small gap, for example when the cup is accidentally
squeezed or jostled excessively. In the case of the flaps extending
outwardly from the lid, the flaps also tend to act as stops against
excessive downward rotation of the lid, and provide an easy way to
lift the lid to open the cup, if desired.
[0005] The cup preferably but not necessarily has two secondary
fold lines extending from the first score line to the outer edge of
the lid portion, near opposite sides of the lid portion, as in the
inventors' prior patents. These secondary score lines encourage a
slightly more vertical orientation of the lid portion outside the
secondary score lines, which assists in holding the lid down once
closed, though the lid portion is shaped such that it snaps over
into the closed position and tends to remain closed even without
the secondary score lines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood,
the preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by
way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a preferred variation
of the cup, with the lid open;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective corresponding to FIG. 1,
showing the flaps extended;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing folding
down of the flaps;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view corresponding to FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-section elevation view
corresponding to FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a cross-section elevation view showing a flap
folded over;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a variation on the cup
of FIG. 1, with no secondary score lines;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective corresponding to FIG. 7,
showing the flaps extended;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 8, showing folding
down of the flaps;
[0016] FIG. 10 is a side elevation view corresponding to FIG.
7;
[0017] FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of a variation similar
to that of FIG. 1, showing larger flaps, and reduced height of the
body of the cup where the lip is formed;
[0018] FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view corresponding to FIG.
11;
[0019] FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view similar to FIG. 12,
showing the lid folded down;
[0020] FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of the FIG. 11 embodiment,
with the lid portion up;
[0021] FIG. 15 is a side elevation view corresponding to FIG. 14,
but with the lid portion closed;
[0022] FIG. 16 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but showing
flaps with a locking tab extension;
[0023] FIG. 17 is a top view of the FIG. 16 cup;
[0024] FIG. 18 is a side elevation view of the FIG. 16 cup;
[0025] FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of a cup with the lid
portion being a separate piece glued to the body of the cup;
[0026] FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective corresponding to FIG.
19;
[0027] FIG. 21 is a side cross-section of the FIG. 19 cup;
[0028] FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a glued-on lid
reinforcement;
[0029] FIG. 23 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 19, but only
the upper part of the lid portion is a separate piece, instead of
the whole lid portion;
[0030] FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective corresponding to FIG.
23;
[0031] FIG. 25 is a side perspective view of a cup where the flaps
extend inwardly from the body of the cup, instead of outwardly from
the lid portion;
[0032] FIG. 26 is a front perspective corresponding to FIG. 25;
[0033] FIG. 27 is a rear perspective of the FIG. 25 cup, showing
the lid portion folded down;
[0034] FIG. 28 is a rear perspective corresponding to FIG. 27,
showing the flaps folded down;
[0035] FIG. 29 is a top view of the FIG. 25 cup with the lid closed
and flaps folded; and
[0036] FIG. 30 is a cross-section of the FIG. 25 cup with the lid
closed and flaps folded;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0037] The cup 1 has a body portion 2, a lid portion 4, and a
separately-formed bottom 10 (conventional, and therefore not
specifically shown). The lid is foldable along a first score line
7, to close the lid. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 1-6, optional but preferable secondary score lines 8 assist
in holding the lid down once closed, by encouraging a slightly more
vertical orientation of the lid portion outside the secondary score
lines, as can be seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example.
However, the lid portion is shaped such that it snaps over into the
closed position (concave instead of convex) and tends to remain
closed even without the secondary score lines. FIGS. 7-10
illustrate a version which does not have the secondary score
lines.
[0038] In the "winged" embodiments, the curled paper which forms
the lip 3 of the cup preferably has been removed for a short
distance and is of similar length to the secondary score line 8 at
the point where the secondary score line on the lid of the cup
meets the upper edge of the cup body. This location can also be
described as being formed by that small area along the top edge of
the lid where the primary score line 7 meets the top edge of the
body of the cup. Removal of the curled paper at this point allows
for an extension of the paper flap formed by the secondary score
line past the upper edge of the lip of the cup, i.e. the flaps 30
referred to above. Where the flap meets the top edge of the body of
the cup and extends beyond the cup body edge, an additional score
line 32 can be provided, running along the edge of the flap
parallel to the top edge of the lid. This allows the flaps to be
folded downwardly.
[0039] The flaps serve several functions. Firstly, the fold formed
by the secondary flap over the edge of the lid of the cup acts to
hold the entire lid of the cup within the cup body. If pressure is
applied to the lid in the act of closing the lid, the folded flap
catches the edge of the cup body and acts to prevent the lid from
moving further into the cup body beyond a certain point. The fold
can be placed so that the cup lid goes to the desired position
every time it is closed. When the lid is in the desired position
inside the body of the cup, the fold prevent the lid from moving
further down into the cup if the cup is squeezed with pressure side
to side, for example if some users apply too much pressure to the
lid of the cup upon insertion of the lid and so distort the lid
within the body of the cup. Having the score line and fold at the
top edge of the cup will act as a visual aid to prevent the lid
from being pushed too far as the fold will catch the edge of the
cup at precisely the position where the lid is designed to be
within the body of the cup. This keeps the cup more rigid and
stable in the hand of the user and helps to prevent spillage. The
improved feel of a more rigid cup is also a positive attribute.
[0040] Secondly, the presence of the folded flap helps to prevent
splashing of liquid inside the body of the cup when the cup is
vigorously shaken side to side. Otherwise, there can be a small gap
where the flap meets the edge of the cup body. If the cup is shaken
in a particular direction, there is a tendency for drops of liquid
to escape at the gap. The flaps tend to prevent such liquid from
escaping.
[0041] Thirdly, the flaps can be grasped by fingers and by applying
pressure in an upward motion, the lid of the cup can be pulled up
to the open position. This facilitates adding more liquid, or cream
and sugar, for example, and provides the design with reuse
potential.
[0042] The flap can be of any size, the size only being limited by
the amount of paper available in the template and how those
templates are cut. As such the flap can extend out from the body of
the cup and be used for grasping, aesthetic appeal, and play
interest. For a children's cup, for example, the flaps can be used
as ears, eyes, antenna, etc. or for grasping to hold the cup or to
remove the lid. As such the play value of the cup is considered to
have additional merit.
[0043] Preferably, the flaps are folded from the inside over the
top of the lid of the cup to the outside of the cup. However, as
shown in FIGS. 25-30, the flaps 30' could be formed from the body
of the cup and have the flap folded over where the lid of the cup
meets the top of the body of the cup at the secondary score
line.
[0044] FIGS. 11-15 show a version in which the height of the cup is
reduced, i.e. the lip 3 is lower than in the embodiments of FIGS.
1-10. This can be best appreciated by comparing FIG. 4 with FIG.
14. Since one would not normally fill the cup higher than about the
height of the score line 7 in any event, the capacity of the FIGS.
11-15 cup is essentially the same as the cups of FIGS. 1-10, but
with potentially less paper being used, depending on the cutting
patterns employed in the manufacturing process.
[0045] FIGS. 16-18 show a variation in which the flaps 30 each
include an extension 31, the extensions acting as locking tabs by
fitting under the edge of the lip 3.
[0046] Other variations of the invention include a construction
where the lid portion 4 is a separate piece from the body 2, as
shown in FIGS. 19-21, having an overlap area 35 for gluing or
otherwise bonding to the cup body, or where a part 36 of the lid
portion is a separate piece, as shown in FIGS. 23-24.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 22, separate pieces 40 may also be used to
create a double layer of paper for reinforcement purposes,
especially for example for the distal portion of the lid portion,
especially for hot beverages. FIG. 22 shows the reinforcement piece
on the inside of the lid portion, but it could be on the outside of
the lid portion if desired. Such reinforcement pieces may be
applied to any of the embodiments referred to above, and to any of
the embodiments referred to in the prior patent no. U.S. Pat. No.
6,176,420.
[0048] Variations include:
[0049] a. A semicircle of paper glued to the inside and outside of
the lip of the cup near the edge of the mouth piece. In this
instance there is two thicknesses of paper at the leading edge of
the lid near the mouthpiece.
[0050] b. A separate piece of paper with the glued at edge of
approximately 1 cm. In this instance two thickness of paper occur
only at the glued edge and the leading edge of the cup at the
mouthpiece is a single piece.
[0051] c. The entire lid of the cup is glued on as a separate piece
on the side of the body of the cup.
[0052] The functions of these variations are two-fold. Firstly,
they will reduce paper usage during the manufacturing process, and
secondly, will act to increase the rigidity of the cup when the lid
is positioned within the body of the cup, i.e. in the closed
position, especially for when the cup is squeezed.
* * * * *