U.S. patent application number 11/108765 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-20 for drinking cup.
Invention is credited to Hanson, John F..
Application Number | 20050230401 11/108765 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35276891 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050230401 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hanson, John F. |
October 20, 2005 |
Drinking cup
Abstract
Disclosed is a drinking cup or other container that has a cup
body having a generally circular periphery, a bottom, a top rim,
and a side wall extending from the bottom to the top rim. The side
wall has inside and outside surfaces. It also has a plurality of
vertically-oriented, concave-shaped valleys on the outside surface
about the periphery of the drinking cup or other container. The
drinking cup or other container has a plurality of reinforcing
projections on the outside surface. The reinforcing projections are
between adjacent valleys. The reinforcing projections are useful in
providing additional stiffness to the side wall.
Inventors: |
Hanson, John F.;
(Unionville, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DIMOCK STRATTON LLP
20 QUEEN STREET WEST SUITE 3202, BOX 102
TORONTO
ON
M5H 3R3
CA
|
Family ID: |
35276891 |
Appl. No.: |
11/108765 |
Filed: |
April 19, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60562978 |
Apr 19, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/675 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 1/44 20130101; B65D
1/265 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/675 |
International
Class: |
B65D 006/08 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A drinking cup or other container, comprising: (a) a cup body
having a generally circular periphery, a bottom, a top rim, and a
side wall extending from the bottom to the top rim, (b) the side
wall having inside and outside surfaces, and the side wall
comprising a plurality of vertically-oriented, concave-shaped
valleys on the outside surface about the periphery of the drinking
cup or other container, and (c) a plurality of reinforcing
projections on the outside surface, the reinforcing projections
defined by respective pairs of adjacent valleys, wherein the
reinforcing projections provide additional stiffness to the side
wall.
2. The drinking cup or other container of claim 1, wherein the
valleys and reinforcing projections extend from the bottom to the
top rim.
3. The drinking cup or other container of claim 2, further
comprising a lip area below the top rim, wherein the lip area is
devoid of valleys and reinforcing projections.
4. The drinking cup or other container of claim 2, wherein the
valleys are located on the entire side wall.
5. The drinking cup or other container of claim 1, wherein the
inside surface is generally smooth.
6. The drinking cup or other container of claim 3, wherein the
periphery of the cup body at the top rim has a first diameter that
is larger than a second diameter of the periphery at the
bottom.
7. The drinking cup or other container of claim 3, wherein the
periphery of the cup body at the top rim has a first diameter that
is larger than a second diameter of the periphery at the bottom and
the valleys have a width that decreases from the top rim to the
bottom.
8. The drinking cup or other container of claim 7, wherein the
width of the valleys at the top rim is from about 0.1 to about 0.2
inches, preferably about 0.14 inches, and the width of the valleys
at the bottom is from about 0.08 to about 0.18 inches, preferably
about 0.111 inches.
9. The drinking cup or other container of claim 1 wherein the
drinking cup is made of injection-molded plastic.
10. A drinking cup or other container, comprising: (a) a cup body
having a generally circular periphery, a bottom, a top rim, and a
side wall extending from the bottom to the top rim, (b) the side
wall having inside and outside surfaces, and the side wall
comprising a plurality of vertically-oriented, concave-shaped
valleys on the inside surface about the periphery of the drinking
cup or other container, and (c) a plurality of reinforcing
projections on the inside surface, the reinforcing projections
defined by respective pairs of adjacent valleys, wherein the
reinforcing projections provide additional stiffness to the side
wall.
11. The drinking cup or other container of claim 10, wherein the
valleys and reinforcing projections extend from the bottom to the
top rim.
12. The drinking cup or other container of claim 11, further
comprising a lip area below the top rim, wherein the lip area is
devoid of valleys and reinforcing projections.
13. The drinking cup or other container of claim 11, wherein the
valleys are located on the entire side wall.
14. The drinking cup or other container of claim 10, wherein the
outside surface is generally smooth.
15. The drinking cup or other container of claim 10, wherein the
periphery of the cup body at the top rim has a first diameter that
is larger than a second diameter of the periphery at the
bottom.
16. The drinking cup or other container of claim 12, wherein the
periphery of the cup body at the top rim has a first diameter that
is larger than a second diameter of the periphery at the bottom and
the valleys have a width that decreases from the top rim to the
bottom.
17. The drinking cup or other container of claim 16, wherein the
width of the valleys at the top rim is from about 0.1 to about 0.2
inches, preferably about 0.14 inches, and the width of the valleys
at the bottom is from about 0.08 to about 0.18 inches, preferably
about 0.111 inches.
18. The drinking cup or other container of claim 10 wherein the
drinking cup is made of injection-molded plastic.
19. A drinking cup or other container comprising: (a) a base having
a generally circular periphery, (b) a side wall extending from the
periphery of the base, and terminating at a lip, (c) the side wall
having an inner and an outer surface, and (d) the side wall having
on its outer surface repeating segments of conic cross-section.
20. The drinking cup or other container of claim 19, wherein the
segments of conic cross-section are segments of circles.
21. The drinking cup or other container of claim 19, wherein the
inner surface of the side wall is generally smooth.
22. The drinking cup or other container of claim 19 wherein the cup
at the lip has a first diameter that is larger than a second
diameter of the cup at the base.
23. The drinking cup or other container of claim 19 wherein the
side wall tapers from the lip to the base to permit nesting of the
cups.
24. A drinking cup or other container comprising: (a) a base having
a generally circular periphery, (b) a side wall extending from the
periphery of the base, and terminating at a lip, (c) the side wall
having an inner and an outer surface, and (d) the side wall having
on its inner surface repeating segments of conic cross-section.
25. The drinking cup or other container of claim 24, wherein the
segments of conic cross-section are segments of circles.
26. The drinking cup or other container of claim 24, wherein the
outer surface of the side wall is generally smooth.
27. The drinking cup or other container of claim 24 wherein the cup
at the lip has a first diameter that is larger than a second
diameter of the cup at the base.
28. The drinking cup or other container of claim 24 wherein the
side wall tapers from the lip to the base to permit nesting of the
cups.
29. The drinking cup or other container of claim 1 comprising an
upper portion and a lower portion of the side wall, wherein the
lower portion of the cup is of reduced cross-section relative to
the upper portion.
30. The drinking cup or other container of claim 10 comprising an
upper portion and a lower portion of the side wall, wherein the
lower portion of the cup is of reduced cross-section relative to
the upper portion.
31. The drinking cup or other container of claim 1 wherein the cup
has a lip area that is thickened to provide additional hoop
strength.
32. The drinking cup or other container of claim 10 wherein the cup
has a lip area that is thickened to provide additional hoop
strength.
33. The drinking cup or other container of claim 19 wherein the cup
has a lip area that is thickened to provide additional hoop
strength.
34. The drinking cup or other container of claim 24 wherein the cup
has a lip area that is thickened to provide additional hoop
strength.
35. The drinking cup or other container of claim 1 wherein the cup
is formed of a clear material and a graphic is etched onto the
inside surface such that the graphic may be viewed through the side
wall of the cup.
36. The drinking cup or other container of claim 10 wherein the cup
is formed of a clear material and a graphic is etched onto the
inside surface such that the graphic may be viewed through the side
wall of the cup.
37. The drinking cup or other container of claim 19 wherein the cup
is formed of a clear material and a graphic is etched onto the
inner surface of the side wall such that the graphic may be viewed
by looking through the outer surface of the cup.
38. The drinking cup or other container of claim 24 wherein the cup
is formed of a clear material and a graphic is etched onto the
inner surface of the side wall such that the graphic may be viewed
by looking through the outer surface of the cup.
39. The drinking cup or other container of claim 37 wherein the cup
is formed of an opaque or translucent material such that the
graphic is obscured from view through the side wall of the cup.
40. The drinking cup or other container of claim 38 wherein the cup
is formed of an opaque or translucent material such that the
graphic is obscured from view through the side wall of the cup.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to containers for
packaging including drinking cups, and more particularly to
containers and drinking cups having reinforcing projections and
valleys on its side walls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is known to sell beverages in disposable or reusable
plastic drinking cups for carry-out sale of beverages such as soft
drinks and the like. It is also generally known to package goods
and foodstuffs in disposable or reusable plastic containers.
Generally, such drinking cups or containers are made of rigid,
injection-molded plastic. A problem with manufacturing these
containers is that the cost of manufacturing varies with both the
amount of material used in each container as well as the time it
takes for one cycle of the injection molding machine to be
completed. The less material used in a container, the thinner the
container wall and the faster the injection molding machine will be
able to produce a container. The lower limit for the amount of
material used in each container is determined by the minimum wall
thickness, below which the container can no longer support the
vertical and tangential loads applied during use.
[0003] It is a challenge to manufacture containers with minimal
material due to the material requirements of the sidewall of the
container. The taller the container, the thicker the sidewall must
be to support the structure. It is difficult in manufacturing
processes to cycle enough material to the top of the sidewall to
meet mold-filling requirements. A sidewall having a specific
thickness must meet a minimum fill ratio of height to diameter in
order for material to flow to the top of the container. There is a
need for a container having a design including high points and
valleys. There is a need for such a container that allows the
material to flow via the high points to the top of the vessel and
where the valley sections reduce the weight of the vessel. There is
a need for such a container that provides more efficient cooling
and a faster cycle.
[0004] These problems are addressed by the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of one aspect of the present invention
to provide a drinking cup or other container having a construction
that reduces the amount of material necessary to produce a
structurally stable cup or container and that permits the requisite
amount of material to be cycled to the top of the structure during
manufacturing. This results in a drinking cup that costs less to
manufacture than current cups now on the market.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
reinforcing profile for the side wall of a drinking cup or other
container, that minimizes the material used while maximizing the
structural strength of the cup or container. Specifically, this
aspect includes a drinking cup or container, comprising: a cup body
having a generally circular periphery, a bottom, a top rim, and a
side wall extending from the bottom to the top rim; the side wall
having inside and outside surfaces, and the side wall comprising a
plurality of vertically-oriented, concave-shaped valleys on the
outside surface about the periphery of the drinking cup or
container; and a plurality of reinforcing projections on the
outside surface, the reinforcing projections defined by respective
pairs of adjacent valleys, wherein the reinforcing projections
provide additional stiffness to the side wall.
[0006] In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a
drinking cup or container, comprising: a cup body having a
generally circular periphery, a bottom, a top rim, and a side wall
extending from the bottom to the top rim; the side wall having
inside and outside surfaces, and the side wall comprising a
plurality of vertically-oriented, concave-shaped valleys on the
inside surface about the periphery of the drinking cup or
container; and a plurality of reinforcing projections on the inside
surface, the reinforcing projections defined by respective pairs of
adjacent valleys, wherein the reinforcing projections provide
additional stiffness to the side wall.
[0007] In another aspect of the invention, the periphery of the
drinking cup or container body at the top rim has a first diameter
that is larger than a second diameter of the periphery at the
bottom and the valleys have a width that decreases from the top rim
to the bottom.
[0008] In a further aspect of the invention, the drinking cup or
container comprises a base having a generally circular periphery, a
side wall extending from the periphery of the base, and terminating
at a lip, the side wall having a repeating segment of a conic
cross-section on one surface of the wall.
[0009] The invention has a number of advantages and features that
increase its value as a drinking cup or container design. As
previously mentioned, the reinforcing profile enables a
construction of a drinking cup or container using less material
than previous methods, while maintaining the structural strength
and integrity of the drinking cup. Less material also allows faster
injection mold cycling, allowing more cups to be produced each day,
thus reducing the manufacturing cost per day.
[0010] The profile enables the cup or container to be manufactured
using less material and at a faster rate as the reinforcing
projections provide a channel within the mould for material to flow
from the base of the cup to the lip. Without the channel provided
by the reinforcing projections, material would have difficulty in
flowing through the narrow side wall from the base to the lip of
the cup.
[0011] Placing the reinforcing profile on the inside of the cup or
container has additional advantages. With the profile on the
inside, the exterior of the cup may be decorated by printing with
high speed offset presses. Furthermore, a customer may have a name
etched on the interior surface of the cup mould. If the cup is
formed of clear material, the name will show through the wall of
the cup. If the customer wishes to change the appearance of the
cup, the same mould may be used with colored material so that the
name will not show through the side wall of the cup. The customer
may then optionally have a different name or graphic printed on the
exterior. This advantageously allows the use of the same mould for
different style cups, reducing the cost of manufacture.
[0012] The channel profile of the present invention allows a cup or
container to be moulded faster with a thinner sidewall by using an
outer portion of the wave material to the top lip in a faster
cycle. The channel profile also allows the moulding apparatus to
cycle faster by giving the material a thicker pathway to the
top
[0013] The channel profile of the present invention further allows
half the mould to be utilised without reducing efficiency. An
operator can change the cavity section of the mould to provide
different wording to be printed on the cup or container surface.
This reduces mould production cost by about fifty percent.
[0014] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
lip portion may be thickened to provide additional hoop
strength.
[0015] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the design of the side wall profile assists in preventing sink
marks on the smooth side of the side wall. This ensures the ability
to provide smooth coverage if applying printing to that surface in
a later manufacturing step.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like
numerals refer to the same parts in the several views and in
which:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a drinking cup of one preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-section of the side wall of the
cup of FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section of the side wall of the
cup of FIG. 1, where the valleys are on the inside surface of the
cup;
[0020] FIG. 4a is a partial cross-sectional view of the side wall
of FIG. 2, with sample dimensions from an upper portion of the
preferred embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 4b is a partial cross-sectional view of the side wall
of FIG. 2, with sample dimensions from the lower portion of the
preferred embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 5a is a partial cross-sectional view of the side wall
of FIG. 3, with sample dimensions from an upper portion of the
preferred embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 5b is a partial cross-sectional view of the side wall
of FIG. 3, with sample dimensions from the lower portion of the
preferred embodiment;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] The present invention will be described with reference to
its preferred embodiments, and in particular with reference to an
embodiment of a container used as a drinking cup.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, one aspect of the present invention
provides a drinking cup 10. Drinking cup 10 is preferably made of
rigid, injection-molded plastic, but other suitable construction
material may be used. Drinking cup 10 comprises a bottom 20 and a
top rim 30, both the bottom 20 and top rim 30 have a generally
circular periphery in cross section. Side wall 40 extends from the
bottom 20 to the top rim 30. Side wall 40 may include a lower
portion 42, an upper portion 44 and a lip portion 46. In a
preferred embodiment, lower portion 42 is of reduced cross section
relative to upper portion 44. Both the lower portion 42 and the
upper portion 44 preferably have a taper with a taper angle
relative to vertical of about 2.degree. to about 6.degree.,
preferably about 3.5.degree.. The taper results in a drinking cup
10 with a bottom 20 of smaller diameter than the top rim 30. Side
wall 40 comprises a plurality of vertically-oriented,
concave-shaped valleys 50 and a plurality of reinforcing peaks or
projections 52, defined by a respective pair of valleys 50. The lip
portion 46 may be devoid of valleys 50 and reinforcing projections
52.
[0026] As better shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cross-sectional
profile of side wall 40 may also be described as a wall having
repeating segments of conic cross-section 70 on a surface of the
side wall 40. Where adjacent segments 70 join, the side wall 40 is
at its thickest, while at the center of each segment 70, the side
wall 40 is at its thinnest.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, a partial cross-section is shown of one
embodiment of side wall 40 where the concave-shaped valleys 50 and
projections 52 are located on the outside surface 48 about the
periphery of the drinking cup 10. The inside surface 47 is
generally smooth.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 3, a partial cross-section is shown of
another embodiment of side wall 40 where the concave-shaped valleys
50 and projections 52 are located on the inside surface 47 about
the periphery of the drinking cup 10. In this embodiment, the
outside surface 48 is generally smooth. This embodiment provides
the added benefit that the outside surface 48 can be printed with
various logos, pictures, letters, etc., as desired. As well, having
the valleys 50 and projections 52 on the inside surface 47 helps
reduce the amount of foam created when a carbonated beverage, such
as a soft drink, is poured into the cup 10.
[0029] A further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in FIGS. 4a and 4b. FIG. 4a shows a partial cross-section of the
side wall 40 at a location adjacent to the top rim 30, and
preferred dimensions of the concave-shaped valleys 50 and
projections 52 and the relative thickness of the side wall 40 at
the center of the concave-shaped valleys 50 compared to the
thickness of the side wall 40 at the projections 52. Preferably,
the width of the valleys 50 and their center-to-center spacing is
about 0.140 inches, whereas the wall thickness is 0.015 inches at
the center of the valleys 50 and 0.024 inches at the projections
52.
[0030] FIG. 4b also partially illustrates the side wall 40, but at
a location adjacent to the bottom 20. As shown, preferably the
width of the valleys 50 and their center-to-center spacing is 0.111
inches, less that that adjacent to the top rim 30 shown in FIG. 4a.
In this embodiment, the width of the valleys 50 and their
center-to-center spacing decrease from the top rim 30 to the bottom
20. It will be noted from FIG. 4b that the thickness of the side
wall 40 at the center of the valleys 50 and at the projections 52
is the same as in FIG. 4a.
[0031] FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate a similar embodiment as FIGS. 4a
and 4b, however, the valleys 50 and projections 52 are on the
inside surface 47 of the side wall 40. Otherwise, it will be seen
that the dimensions of the widths of the valleys 50 and their
center-to-center spacing remains the same as for FIGS. 4a and 4b,
respectively.
[0032] It is to be understood that the dimensions referred to in
this specification are intended to illustrate a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, and not for the invention in
its broadest sense. Dimensions of various elements of the cup 10,
side wall 40, valleys 50 and projections 52 spacing may vary
without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0033] The preferred embodiments of the present invention allow for
drinking cups to be made while decreasing material costs by about
25%, while cycle times for molding a cup is reduced by about 20 to
25%. This results in substantial savings over time, while
maintaining acceptable cup rigidity.
[0034] Although the present invention has been shown and described
with respect to its preferred embodiments, it will be understood by
those skilled in the art that other changes, modifications,
additions and omissions may be made without departing from the
substance and the scope of the present invention as defined by the
attached claims.
* * * * *