U.S. patent application number 11/290526 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-15 for dual-purpose cup.
Invention is credited to Audrey I. Matty.
Application Number | 20060124718 11/290526 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36582653 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060124718 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Matty; Audrey I. |
June 15, 2006 |
Dual-purpose cup
Abstract
A dual-purpose cup that is an ordinary cup that can be rapidly
converted into a dysphagia cup. The dual-purpose cup includes a
peripheral sidewall open at its upper end and closed at its lower
end by a bottom floor. The peripheral sidewall has a perforated
line therein proximate to the upper end, wherein the perforated
line defines a cutout shape. Removal of the cutout shape along the
perforated line converts the dual-purpose cup into a dysphagia cup.
The dual-purpose cup can be made of any suitable material, such as
a biodegradable material, e.g., paper or cardboard. The
dual-purpose cup can be made of any suitable polymer, such as
Styrofoam.
Inventors: |
Matty; Audrey I.;
(Melbourne, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOOD, NGO & EISENBERG, PLLC
2121 Eisenhower Ave
Suite 200
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
36582653 |
Appl. No.: |
11/290526 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60634800 |
Dec 10, 2004 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
229/400 ;
229/240; 229/4.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 3/06 20130101; B65D
1/265 20130101; Y02W 90/10 20150501; Y02W 90/13 20150501 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/400 ;
229/004.5; 229/240 |
International
Class: |
B65D 3/00 20060101
B65D003/00; B65D 17/00 20060101 B65D017/00 |
Claims
1. A dual-purpose cup, said dual-purpose cup is adaptable for use
as an ordinary cup or can be rapidly converted to a dysphagia cup,
said dual-purpose cup comprising a peripheral sidewall having upper
and lower ends, said peripheral sidewall being open at its upper
end and closed at its lower end by a bottom floor, said peripheral
sidewall having a perforated line therein proximate to said upper
end, wherein said perforated line defines a cutout shape and
removal of said cutout shape along said perforated line converts
said dual-purpose cup into a dysphagia cup.
2. The dual-purpose cup according to claim 1, wherein said cup is
made of a biodegradable material.
3. The dual-purpose cup according to claim 1, wherein said cup is
made of paper.
4. The dual-purpose cup according to claim 1, wherein said cup is
made of cardboard.
5. The dual-purpose cup according to claim 1, wherein said cup is
made of a polymer.
6. The dual-purpose cup according to claim 1, wherein said cup is
made of Styrofoam.
7. The dual-purpose cup according to claim 1, further comprising an
image imprinted on said sidewall of said dual-purpose cup, whereby
said image is useful as an aid in facilitating a patient in
correctly orientating said cup with respect to the patient's mouth.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/634,800, filed Dec. 10,
2004, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to cups. More specifically, the
invention relates to dual-purpose cups. Still more specifically,
the invention relates to an ordinary cup adapted for rapid
conversion to a dysphagia cup.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Some people have difficulty in swallowing. This condition is
called dysphagia. A person suffering from dysphagia can alleviate
their difficulty in swallowing if they avoid tilting their head
rearward while swallowing. Cups have been specially designed to
facilitate swallowing without tilting the head back. Such cups
often have an unusual appearance that some dysphagia sufferers find
embarrassing to use. In addition, those who do not suffer from
dysphagia but who need to swallow, for example, tablets with water
or milk, are unlikely to use a dysphagia cup. There is a need for a
cup that can be used as dysphagia cup and as an ordinary cup.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention is directed to a dual-purpose cup. More
specifically, the invention relates to an ordinary cup adapted for
rapid conversion to a dysphagia cup. Still more specifically, the
invention is a cup made of a material with indentations or
perforations in the shape of a cutout. A user, such as a patient,
therapist, or caregiver can use the dual-purpose cup as an ordinary
cup, but upon removal of the cutout, the dual-purpose cup is
converted to a dysphagia cup. The dual-purpose cup of the present
invention can be made out of any suitable material, such as paper
or Styrofoam, which enables easy removal of the cutout.
[0006] In one embodiment, the dual-purpose cup 100 is an ordinary
cup that can undergo rapid conversion to a dysphagia cup
(represented by alpha-numeric label "100b" in FIG. 4). The
dual-purpose cup 100 comprises a peripheral sidewall 200 open at
its upper end 220 and closed at its lower end 240 by a bottom floor
260. The peripheral sidewall 200 has a perforated line 120 therein
proximate to the upper end 220, wherein the perforated line 120
defines a cutout shape 140 and removal of the cutout shape 140
along line 120 converts the dual-purpose cup 100 (or 100a) into a
dysphagia cup 100b. The dual-purpose cup 100 can be made of any
suitable material, such as a biodegradable paper, e.g., paper or
cardboard. The dual-purpose cup 100 can be made of a
non-biodegradable material, such as any suitable material such as
Styrofoam.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a front view of the first embodiment of a
dual-purpose cup in ordinary cup mode, wherein the dual-purpose has
a sidewall and a defined cutout shape therein, according to the
present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the second embodiment of a
dual-purpose cup according to the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the dual-purpose cup of
FIG. 1, but with the defined cutout shape in the process of being
removed to provide a dysphagia cup, according to the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 shows how the cutout shape can be removed from the
dual-purpose cup's sidewall.
[0011] FIG. 5 shows an environmental, perspective view of the
dual-purpose cup of FIG. 1, but with the defined cutout shape
removed to provide a dysphagia cup, according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] This invention is directed to a dual-purpose cup. More
specifically, the invention relates to an ordinary cup adapted for
rapid conversion to a dysphagia cup. Still more specifically, the
invention is a cup made of material with indentations or
perforations in the shape of a cutout. A user, such as a patient,
therapist or caregiver can use the dual-purpose cup as an ordinary
cup, but upon removal of the cutout along the perforations, the
dual-purpose cup is converted to a dysphagia cup. The dual-purpose
cup of the present invention can be made out of any suitable
material, such as paper, cardboard or Styrofoam, which enable easy
removal of the cutout. A dual-purpose cup made of Styrofoam is
eminently disposable. A dual-purpose cup made of paper or cardboard
is both biodegradable and disposable.
[0013] The dual-purpose cup of the present invention is indicated
generally by the numeral 100.
[0014] In more detail, the present invention is a dual-purpose cup
100. The dual-purpose cup 100 can be used as an ordinary cup or can
be rapidly converted to a dysphagia cup 100b (see FIG. 4). The
dual-purpose cup 100 comprises a peripheral sidewall 200 having
upper and lower ends 220 and 240, respectively (see FIGS. 1 and 2).
The peripheral sidewall 200 is open at its upper end 220 as defined
by rim 225, and closed at its lower end 240 by a bottom floor 260
(see, e.g., FIG. 1). The peripheral sidewall 200 includes a
perforated line 120 therein proximate to upper end 220, wherein the
perforated line 120 defines a cutout shape 140. The cutout shape
140 can be removed along the perforated line 120 (see FIG. 3),
which converts the dual-purpose cup 100 into a dysphagia cup 100b
(see FIGS. 4 and 5).
[0015] It should be understood that the dual-purpose cup 100 is not
limited to a particular overall shape. Specifically, the
dual-purpose cup 100 can be any shaped cup with a cutout shape 140
forming part of the cup's sidewall 200, defined by perforation line
120. Thus, the cup 100 can have the overall shape of a conical
cylinder, a teacup shape with attached cup handle, or the overall
shape of a coffee mug. For example, the cup 100 can be in the shape
of a tumbler that is used to drink cold orange juice. Thus, the
present invention is not limited to a particular shaped cup and can
have various shaped sidewalls.
[0016] In more detail, FIG. 1 shows a front view of the first
embodiment of the dual-purpose cup 100 according to the present
invention. The dual-purpose cup 100 is made out of any suitable
material, such as biodegradable paper or cardboard. The
dual-purpose cup 100 can be made of any suitable polymer such as
Styrofoam. The dual-purpose cup 100 comprises a perforated line
120, which defines a cutout shape 140. Removal of the cutout 140
converts the cup 100 into a dysphagia cup. Prior to removal of the
cutout 140, the cup 100 can be used as an ordinary cup, e.g., as an
ordinary drinking cup.
[0017] Still referring to FIG. 1, the perforated line 120 can
follow any suitable direction providing the cutout 140 is a
suitable shape such that when removed from the sidewall 200 (see
FIGS. 3 through 5), enables a person with dysphagia to swallow food
or medicine such as a prescription tablet, along with a slurp or
drink of fluid. The line 120 preferably extends from the rim 225 of
the cup 100 to describe a cutout 140 of a generally elliptical or
oval shape.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the second embodiment of a
dual-purpose cup 100 (actually represented by the alpha-numeral
label "100a") according to the present invention. The cup 100a
comprises an image 160 imprinted on the inside of the upper end 220
of sidewall 200. The image 160 can take any suitable form, such as
an image mimicking lips. Such an image is useful as an aid in
facilitating the patient in correctly orientating the cup with
respect to the patient's mouth. It should be understood that the
image 160 can be displayed or imprinted on any suitable area of the
cup 100a and is explicitly not restricted to the location shown in
FIG. 2.
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the dual-purpose cup 100,
but with the defined cutout shape 140 in the process of being
removed by a person's hand H from sidewall 200 to provide the
dysphagia cup 100b, (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5). Obviously, it follows
that the shape 140 can be removed in any number of ways using the
fingers or thumbs of one or both hands.
[0020] FIG. 4 shows how the cutout shape can be removed from the
dual-purpose cup's sidewall. For example, a patient or their
caregiver can pull or snap out the cutout shape 140 along
perforated line 120 to provide the dysphagia cup 100b version of
dual-purpose cup 100 (or 100a).
[0021] As can be seen in FIG. 5, the dual-purpose cup, with the
cutout shape 140 removed to provide the dysphagia cup 100b, enables
a patient P to swallow water with, for example, a pill containing
medication already placed in the patient's mouth (not shown),
without the patient having to substantially tilt his/her head or
neck to swallow the medication.
[0022] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above or as shown in the
attached figures, but encompasses any and all embodiments within
the spirit of the invention.
* * * * *