U.S. patent application number 12/090669 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-30 for cup.
This patent application is currently assigned to MARS INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Simon Mellor.
Application Number | 20090110782 12/090669 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35451940 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090110782 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mellor; Simon |
April 30, 2009 |
CUP
Abstract
A cup (2) for the storage and dispensing of a liquid is
disclosed. The cup (2) comprises an inner cup (4), the open end of
which is closed by an hermetic seal (8), and a sleeve (6) around
the inner cup (4). The sleeve (6) engages with the inner cup (4)
and extends beyond the open end of the inner cup (4).
Inventors: |
Mellor; Simon; (Maidenhead,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Assignee: |
MARS INCORPORATED
McLean
VA
|
Family ID: |
35451940 |
Appl. No.: |
12/090669 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
October 18, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2006/003871 |
371 Date: |
December 22, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/107 ;
426/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2205/025 20130101;
B65D 81/3272 20130101; B65D 81/3453 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/107 ;
426/115 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/72 20060101
B65D085/72; B65D 81/34 20060101 B65D081/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 18, 2005 |
GB |
0521152.9 |
Claims
1. A cup for storage and dispensing of a liquid comprising: an
inner cup, the open end of which is closed by a hermetic seal; and
a sleeve around the inner cup engaging therewith, which extends
beyond the open end of the inner cup.
2. A cup for storage and dispensing of a liquid comprising: an
inner cup, the open end of which is closed by a hermetic seal; and
a sleeve around the inner cup engaging therewith such that a liquid
tight seal exists between the rim of the inner cup and the inner
surface of the sleeve.
3. A cup according to claim 1 wherein a liquid tight seal exists
between the ring of the inner cup and the inner surface of the
sleeve.
4. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the inner cup is filled with
a liquid and has microbiological integrity.
5. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve comprises a smooth
lip at the open end.
6. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve includes a wall
closing the lower end thereof to form an outer cup.
7. A cup according to any preceding claim 1 wherein the inner
surface of the sleeve has an annular channel with which the rim of
the inner cup engages.
8. A cup according to claim 7 wherein the rim of the inner cup has
an annular flange which engages with the annular channel.
9. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve and inner cup are
different materials.
10. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve is paper.
11. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the inner cup is a plastics
material suitable for aseptic use.
12. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the hermetic seal comprises
an aluminium foil lid.
13. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the hermetic seal comprises
a non-metallic lid.
14. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the lid is a laminate
material.
15. A cup according to claim 1 wherein the lid includes a tab for
removal of the lid from the inner cup.
16. A cup according to claim 15 wherein the tab is at the edge of
the lid.
17. A cup according to claim 15 wherein the tab is in the center of
the lid.
18. A cup according to claim 15 wherein the lid includes at least
one vent hole sealed by the tab, the at least one vent hole
openable by partial removal of the tab.
19. A cup according to claim 1 which is microwaveable.
20. (canceled)
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a cup for the storage and
dispensing of a liquid, for example a drink.
[0002] Paper cups are used widely in cafes and kiosks to serve hot
drinks, such as coffee and hot chocolate, for consumers to drink
where they are bought, or to take-away. Consumers are accustomed to
drinking hot drinks from cups of this type and have come to
associate them with high quality cafes and kiosks. In cafes and
kiosks, drinks of this type are made to order using products, such
as milk, which will quickly deteriorate in quality if stored at
ambient temperatures for more than a few hours, or, at most, a few
days. The cups may be provided with a lid to prevent spillage of
the drink; however, the lids do not provide an air-tight seal and
will not prolong the period of time for which the drink can be
stored.
[0003] There is a demand for prepared drinks to be available in
retail outlets, such as supermarkets, in a form that has a long
shelf life so that they can be stored, and heated and consumed when
desired.
[0004] According to the present invention there is provided a cup
for storage and dispensing of a liquid comprising an inner cup, the
open end of which is closed by an hermetic seal; and a sleeve
around the inner cup engaging therewith, which extends beyond the
open end of the cup.
[0005] Preferably, there is a liquid tight seal between the inner
cup and the sleeve around the open end of the inner cup. Also
according to the present invention there is provided a cup for
storage and dispensing of a liquid comprising an inner cup, the
open end of which is closed by an hermetic seal; and a sleeve
around the inner cup engaging therewith such that a liquid tight
seal exists between the rim of the cup and the inner surface of the
sleeve.
[0006] Preferably, the filled inner cup has microbiological
integrity, thus any micro-organisms on the outside of the inner cup
will be unable to permeate through to the contents.
[0007] Preferably, the sleeve includes a wall closing the lower end
thereof to form an outer cup.
[0008] Preferably, the sleeve and the inner cup engage together to
prevent significant relative movement. In one embodiment, the inner
surface of the sleeve has an annular channel with which the rim of
the inner cup engages. More preferably, the rim of the inner cup
has an annular flange which engages with the annular channel. This
holds the inner cup in place within the sleeve to substantially
prevent relative movement of the inner cup and the sleeve and can
form a liquid tight seal to prevent leakage of liquid between the
inner cup and the sleeve after opening.
[0009] Preferably, the inner cup is of a plastics material suitable
for aseptic use. Once aseptically filled and hermetically sealed,
the inner cup is substantially free from microbiological organisms
so that the drink can be hygienically stored inside the inner cup
at ambient temperatures for up to six months or more before
consumption.
[0010] Preferably, the sleeve is paper, for example a conventional
paper cup. In an aspect of the invention, and in preferred
embodiments of the other aspect, the outer sleeve extends beyond
the open end of the inner cup so that the consumer will not detect
the inner cup with their lips. It will therefore feel to the
consumer as if they are drinking from a conventional paper cup.
[0011] The hermetic seal can be provided by a lid of a metallic
foil, such as aluminium foil, or a lid of a foil of a plastics
material, or a lid of a laminate of a plastics material and/or
metallic foils. Preferably, the lid includes a tab for removal of
the lid from the inner cup when the consumer wishes to heat and
drink the liquid in the cup. The tab may be at the edge of the lid
or in the centre.
[0012] The cup may be used for liquids, in particular sterilised
liquids, and the liquid may include solid edible pieces, for
example a soup. The cup is particularly suitable for drinks and may
be used for cold drinks, or for drinks which can be heated before
consumption. If the drink is intended to be heated, the lid can
include at least one vent hole which is sealed by the tab in order
to retain the hermetic seal of the inner cup, but is openable by
partial removal of the tab. The vent hole or holes can be opened by
the consumer prior to heating and provide vents to avoid the build
up of excessive pressure in the inner cup when the drink is
heated.
[0013] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way
of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a cup according to the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the cup of FIG. 1.
[0016] The cup shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an inner cup 4
inside an outer cup 6. The inner cup 4 is a cup of a plastics
material, of the type commonly used to store products which are
subject to microbiological deterioration, for example dairy
products such as cream and yoghurts. The main body 20 of the inner
cup 4 is circular in cross section and tapers outwards from the
bottom to the top. At the bottom of the inner cup 4, below the main
body 20, is a lower portion 22 of a narrower diameter than the main
body 20, which is connected to the main body by a shoulder 36. The
lower portion 22 has a straight side wall and a bottom wall 24 with
a circular recess 26, approximately 1 mm-2 mm deep. At the top of
the inner cup is an upper portion 28, which flares outwards from
the top of the main body 20. A flange protrudes horizontally from
the edge of the upper portion to form a flat annular flange 30
around the rim of the inner cup 4.
[0017] The inner cup 4 is filled with a drink, such as a chocolate
drink (not shown), which the consumer can heat up in the cup if
desired. The inner cup 4 is manufactured by a conventional moulding
method such as injection moulding or thermoforming and is filled
with the drink in aseptic conditions, which ensures that the drink
is sterile so that it has a relatively long shelf life. The drink
itself may be subject to UHT (ultra heat treatment), or other
treatment to sterilise it before packaging. The open end of the
inner cup 4 is closed and hermetically sealed by a lid 8 made from
a film of plastics material, which is adhered to the flange 30 of
the upper portion 28.
[0018] The lid 8 has a tab 10 at the centre which when pulled
upwards will, remove the lid 8 in one piece from the inner cup 4.
At the centre of the lid 8, there is a vent hole (not shown) over
which the tab 10 is sealed. The vent hole is openable by peeling
the tab away from the lid and is intended to be opened before
removing the lid 8, so that the drink can be heated in the cup, for
example in a microwave oven.
[0019] The outer cup 6 is a largely conventional paper cup of the
type used to serve hot beverages in cafes and kiosks, with an inner
surface with an impermeable coating of a plastics material and a
printed outer surface. The outer cup 6 is circular in cross section
and tapers outwards from the bottom to the top. As shown in FIG. 3,
the side wall of the outer cup 6 is rolled over outwardly by
360.degree. or more at the open end of the cup to form a rounded
annular lip 34. The cut edge of the outer cup is folded into the
inside of the annular lip 34 so that it does not come into contact
with the consumer's lips or with the drink. This avoids the upper
edge of the outer cup becoming soggy during use and the rounded lip
provides a smooth surface for the consumers to place their lips
around whilst drinking, so that drinking from the outer cup is more
comfortable. The lip also strengthens the top edge of the outer
cup.
[0020] The outer cup 6 is closed at the lower end by a circular
bottom wall 32, which is inset from the bottom edge of the side
wall of the outer cup by about 5 mm. The edge portion of the bottom
wall 32 is folded over and glued to the inside surface of the side
wall. The outer cup 6 may be provided with a clip on lid of a
plastics material (not shown), of the type used in cafes and
kiosks, for hygiene purposes and in order to protect the lip from
damage.
[0021] About 10 mm below the open end of the outer cup 6, the side
wall is embossed to create an annular channel 12 about 1 mm in
diameter, opening on the inner surface of the side wall. As can be
seen in FIG. 2, the flange 30 of the inner cup 4 is an interference
fit in the annular channel 12 so that the inner cup 4 can be
inserted into the outer cup after both have been formed. Once
assembled, the flange 30 is a friction fit in the annular channel
12 so that a liquid tight seal is formed between the inner 4 and
outer 6 cups. The engagement of the flange 30 of the inner cup 4
with the annular channel 12 is sufficient to support the inner cup
4 and prevent it from slipping into or out of the outer cup for
example, towards the open end of the outer cup 6 when the cup is
tipped for drinking. The bottom wall 24 of the inner cup 4 sits
about 1 mm from the bottom wall 32 of the outer cup 6. Glue can be
used in the gap between the inner and outer cups to secure the
inner cup further. Below the seal, the side walls of the inner and
outer cups do not touch and the space between them provides
insulation so that if the inner cup contains a hot drink, the outer
cup does not get as hot as the inner cup. This makes it more
comfortable for the consumer to hold the cup and means that a hot
drink will stay hot for longer and a cold drink will stay cold for
longer.
[0022] The inner cup is manufactured and filled as described above.
Once filled and sealed, the inner cups can be stored as they are at
ambient temperatures for six months or more and can be transported
to a different location at a convenient time, to be mated with the
outer cups. The outer cup is manufactured in a similar way to a
conventional paper cup. The channel 12 can be made in the side wall
by a punching process.
[0023] While in the embodiment described, the flange of the inner
cup engages with a channel in the side wall of the outer cup in
order to create a liquid tight seal, it will be appreciated that a
liquid tight seal may be created in other ways, for example by
gluing or by the insertion of a separate sealing ring between the
lip and the outer cup. Similarly, while in the embodiment described
the inner cup is held in place inside the outer cup by means of the
lip and channel arrangement, it will be appreciated that the inner
cup can be secured inside the outer cup in other ways, for example
by gluing alone.
[0024] While in the embodiment described, the outer cup has a base
wall, it will be appreciated an outer cup with an open lower end
can be used.
[0025] While in the embodiment described, a lid made of a film of
plastics material is used, it will be appreciated that lids made
from other materials, such as metal, for example aluminium foil,
can be used. Alternatively, a laminate material of foils of a
plastics material and/or metallic foils may be used. It will also
be appreciated that the tab for removing the lid can be in a
different location on the lid, such as at the edge. A second tab
can be provided to seal the vent hole in the lid, if necessary.
[0026] While in the embodiment described, the inner cup is filled
in aseptic conditions with a UHT treated liquid, it will be
appreciated that microbiological integrity of the filled inner cup
can also be achieved if the inner cup is hot filled, or if the
filled and hermetically sealed inner cup is retorted, UHP (ultra
high pressure) treated, irradiated or otherwise sterilised.
[0027] While in the embodiment described, the side wall of the
outer cup is rolled over outwardly to provide a smooth lip for the
consumer to drink from, it will be appreciated that a smooth lip
may be provided in other ways, for example by the provision of a
separate lip portion at the rim of the outer cup.
* * * * *