U.S. patent application number 11/315042 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-28 for beverage container holder.
Invention is credited to Brad Davidson, Dan Dexel, Peter Moore.
Application Number | 20070145108 11/315042 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38175447 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070145108 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dexel; Dan ; et al. |
June 28, 2007 |
Beverage container holder
Abstract
A holder for a coated paper cup is provided. The holder is made
from a stretch material that has good insulating properties, such
as neoprene. The holder has an open top end and an open bottom end
and is tapered to fit a cup.
Inventors: |
Dexel; Dan; (Waterdown,
CA) ; Moore; Peter; (Waterdown, CA) ;
Davidson; Brad; (Burlington, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GOWLING, LAFLEUR HENDERSON LLP
ONE MAIN STREET WEST
HAMILTON
ON
L8P 4Z5
CA
|
Family ID: |
38175447 |
Appl. No.: |
11/315042 |
Filed: |
December 23, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/403 ;
229/400 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/3876
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/403 ;
229/400 |
International
Class: |
B65D 3/00 20060101
B65D003/00 |
Claims
1. A re-usable, insulating beverage container holder comprising a
truncated conical member comprising of a flexible material.
2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the flexible material is
neoprene.
3. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the truncated conical
member has a first open end and a second open end wherein said
first open end is larger than said second open end.
4. A holder according to claim 3, further comprising a cutout at
the first open end.
5. A holder according to claim 4, wherein the cutout is
U-shaped.
6. A holder according to claim 4, wherein the cutout is
rectangular.
7. A re-usable beverage container holder formed from a single
blank, the blank comprising a top edge and a bottom edge that are
arcuate and essentially concentric, said top edge having a greater
length than said bottom edge and a first side and a second side
wherein said first and second side are substantially non-parallel
as they extend from the top edge to the bottom edge.
8. A holder according to claim 7, wherein the blank further
comprises a cutout in the top edge.
9. A holder according to claim 7, wherein said holder is formed by
connecting said first side and said second side.
10. A holder according to claim 9, wherein said sides are sewn
together.
11. A holder according to claim 9, wherein said sides are glued
together.
12. A holder according to claim 7, wherein the blank is variably
sized according to the dimensions of different sized cups.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to holders for
coated paper cups. More particularly, the invention relates to an
insulating holder for a coated paper cup, such as a coffee cup.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In recent years, the trend has been to get away from using
polystyrene cups and moved towards coated paper cups for hot
beverages. While paper cups are more environmentally friendly than
polystyrene cups, they have poor insulating properties. Once the
cup is filled with a hot beverage, it is often uncomfortably hot to
hold in the hand.
[0003] Several strategies have been tried to address the problem of
heat transfer through a paper cup.
[0004] One way to address this problem is to double cup. However,
double cupping not only increases costs, it also increases the
amount of waste that is produced. Another approach to the problem
of heat transfer through a paper cup has been the introduction of
tubular members made from recycled cardboard fiber. U.S. Pat. No.
5,205,473 is directed to a corrugated tubular member that includes
fluting on the inside that functions to contain insulating air.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,497 is directed to another type of cardboard
sleeve for insulating a cup. This sleeve contains nubbins and
depressions to provide the insulation between the cup and your
hand. These cardboard sleeves work well and do reduce waste
somewhat since they comprise about 50% less material than a second
paper cup. However, they are intended for single use only and thus
(do) contribute significantly to the amount of paper that is
wasted.
[0005] There have also been attempts to design insulating holders
that are reusable, especially for cold beverages. U.S. Pat. No.
5,065,879 discloses a multi-layer insulator for a beverage
container, which includes a base and a sleeve that has an exterior
fabric layer, an interior fabric or neoprene layer, and an
intermediate insulation layer. This device comprises an essentially
tubular sleeve with a closure at the top and the bottom.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,399 discloses an insulated beverage
holder that has a tubular body and a hinged lid. The tubular body
is generally shaped to receive a beverage container such as a (pop)
355 ml. can.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,543 is directed to a beverage container
insulator that is tubular with open ends formed from two elastic
panels. The insulator also contains a hem that provides for a very
tight and snug fit against the walls of the beverage container.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,271 is directed to a neoprene bottle
insulator that is particularly designed to fit tightly over a
bottle. It is not adapted for use with hot beverages.
[0009] The attempts of the prior art to provide an effective
insulator for a hot beverage cup have drawbacks. Double cupping and
cardboard sleeves are not reusable and cause significant litter and
waste. The neoprene type of insulators are designed to fit snuggly
over a hard container such as a bottle or a can and are not
feasible for use with a flexible container such as a coffee cup
especially one containing hot liquid. Thus, there remained a need
for a holder for a cup containing a hot beverage that has good
insulating properties and that is environmentally friendly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention addresses the problems of the prior
art by providing a reusable insulating beverage container holder
that comprises a truncated, essentially conical member that is
comprised of a flexible material. A preferred flexible material for
use in the present invention is neoprene, as it provides the
advantage of four way stretch.
[0011] In one aspect of the invention, the holder comprises an
essentially tubular member that has an open top end and an open
bottom end. The top opening is generally larger than the bottom
opening in order to fit a tapered cup.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the upper opening includes a cut
away portion that is adapted to receive a user's mouth when the
holder is in use on a cup. In this way, the user's mouth contacts
the disposable cup rather than the reusable holder. The mouth cut
out can take various shapes, but is preferably a semi-circular or
U-shaped cut out.
[0013] In one preferred aspect of the invention, the reusable
beverage container holder is formed from a single blank. The blank
comprises a top edge and a bottom edge that are arcuate and
essentially concentric. The top edge has a greater length than the
bottom edge such that a tapered fit is provided. Because the top
edge is longer than the bottom edge, the sides of the blank are
essentially non-parallel as they extend from the top edge to the
bottom edge.
[0014] The holder is preferably made of a flexible material such as
neoprene. Neoprene has excellent insulating qualities and it is
also very flexible so that the holder can easily be folded for
storage in a pocket or purse. The holder is formed when the two
side edges of the blank are sewn together. The size of the blank
can be adjusted according to the size of the cup that it is
designed to fit. For example, different holders can be provided for
small, medium, large or extra large cups.
[0015] The present invention provides several advantages. The
holder is 100% reusable and machine washable. It has excellent
insulating properties for hot or cold. The cut out for the mouth
provides a natural feel when drinking from the cup. The holder is
reversible, can be printed on for marketing and advertising
purposes and its four way stretch material provides a snug fit that
won't easily slip.
[0016] This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe
all features of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] These and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference is made
to the appended drawings wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a blank for the preparation of one
embodiment of the invention;
[0019] FIG. 2A illustrates a cup holder prepared from the blank of
FIG. 1.
[0020] FIG. 2B illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 2A once it has
been applied to a cup;
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates how the blank is folded around to form
the holder; and
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The following description is of a preferred embodiment.
[0024] The present invention provides a novel type of holder for a
coated paper cup. The holder is made of a flexible material that
has excellent insulating properties. In a preferred embodiment, the
holder is made of neoprene. It is apparent, however, that other
types of flexible materials with good insulating properties could
also be used. Another property of the cup holder is that it has
good gripability. The flexibility of the material enables the
holder to be collapsed and easily stored in a purse or pocket. The
holder has an open top and open bottom that also helps to
facilitate this flexibility and foldability. When ready for use,
the holder takes on the three dimensional tapered shape of a cup,
such as is normally used for hot beverages like coffee, tea and hot
chocolate. Of course, it is apparent that the cup holder can also
be used to insulate cups containing cold beverages, such as soft
drinks, juices, etc.
[0025] Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates a blank for
the preparation of one embodiment of the cup holder. The blank 10
comprises an upper edge 12 and a lower edge 14. The upper and lower
edges are arcuate in shape and are essentially concentric. The
blank also includes a first side edge 16 and a second side edge 18.
Due to the fact that the upper edge 12 is longer than the lower
edge 14, the two side edges are essentially non-parallel. In the
illustrated embodiment, the blank 10 includes a mouth cut away
portion 20 that is essentially U-shaped.
[0026] FIG. 2A illustrates a cup holder 24 in its ready to use
state. The cup holder comprises a top open end 26 and a bottom open
end 28. The top open end 26 is larger in diameter than the bottom
open end 28 thereby providing the cup holder with a
three-dimensional tapered configuration. The holder also comprises
a cut away mouth portion 30.
[0027] FIG. 2B illustrates the cup holder of the invention applied
to a coated paper cup. The holder 24 is dimensioned to fit over the
cup 32. The cover slides smoothly over the cup, and the fit is not
so tight as to cause compression of the cup or the contents inside
the cup. The mouth cut away portion 30 is positioned near the upper
brim of the cup and provides an open area on the cup 36 that can be
accessed by a user to sip the contents of the cup. Various sizes of
cup holders are adapted to fit standard cups such as small, medium,
large, extra-large and so on. The stretchability of the material
used for the cup holder allows for a snug, non-slip fit over the
cup.
[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates how a cup holder of the invention is
formed. The two side portions 16 and 18 are folded around and
adhered to each other to form an essentially tube like structure.
Due to the fact that the upper edge 12 is longer than the lower
edge 14, the tubular structure has a wider opening at the top than
at the bottom. Various methods can be used to adhere the two side
edges to each other. For example, they may be glued or affixed by
metal fasteners. A preferred method of adhering the two edges is to
stitch them together, preferably in a zigzag fashion so as to
provide strength to the seam. In a particularly preferred
embodiment, all the free edges are also stitched to provide a
uniform, finished look to the product.
[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in
which the cup holder 40 includes a mouth opening 42 that is square
cut, rather than U-shaped. It is apparent to one skilled in the art
that the size and shape of the mouth cut out can easily be altered
without affecting the functionality of the cup holder.
[0030] The cup holder of the present invention is 100% reusable. It
is fabricated from an excellent insulating material that can be
used for both hot and cold beverages. The flexibility and four way
stretch of the material allows for a unique snug, yet not
compressive fit around the cup. The cup holder is contoured to fit
over a standard tapered cup. The open top and bottom ends allow the
flexible material to be easily collapsed for storage. The cup
holder of the invention is easy to make. It is formed from a single
blank with one seam. In one preferred embodiment, the cup holder is
printed to include marketing or advertising information. The cup
holder is fully reversible and can be printed with different
messages on each side.
[0031] The present invention has been described with regard to one
or more embodiments. However, it will be apparent to persons
skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications
can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
defined in the claims.
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