U.S. patent application number 12/785407 was filed with the patent office on 2011-11-24 for collapsible cup.
Invention is credited to Baoloc Le, Sean McElligott, Jim Shepard.
Application Number | 20110284547 12/785407 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44971634 |
Filed Date | 2011-11-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110284547 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McElligott; Sean ; et
al. |
November 24, 2011 |
COLLAPSIBLE CUP
Abstract
A collapsible cup has a base and a series of cylindrical body
segments that together form a rigid cup body. The base includes a
cylindrical base segment extending upwardly from the base and
having an external thread. The series of cylindrical body segments
are of graduated diameters which telescopically engage each other
and the cylindrical base segment, and include an externally
threaded upper portion, and an internal thread that extends the
across all of an internal surface of each of the cylindrical body
segments, such that each of the cylindrical body segments is
threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external thread
of the cylindrical base segment, or the externally threaded upper
portion of one of the cylindrical body segments.
Inventors: |
McElligott; Sean; (San Juan
Capistrano, CA) ; Shepard; Jim; (Vancouver, CA)
; Le; Baoloc; (La Puente, CA) |
Family ID: |
44971634 |
Appl. No.: |
12/785407 |
Filed: |
May 21, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/495.03 ;
220/200; 220/666 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 3/20 20130101; B65D
21/086 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/495.03 ;
220/666; 220/200 |
International
Class: |
B65D 90/04 20060101
B65D090/04; B65D 51/00 20060101 B65D051/00; B65D 90/02 20060101
B65D090/02 |
Claims
1. A collapsible cup comprising: a base; a cylindrical base segment
extending upwardly from the base, the cylindrical base segment
having an external thread on an external surface, adjacent a top
perimeter of the cylindrical base segment; a series of cylindrical
body segments of graduated diameters which telescopically engage
each other and the cylindrical base segment; an externally threaded
upper portion of at least one of the cylindrical body segments; an
internal thread that extends the across all of an internal surface
of each of the cylindrical body segments, such that each of the
cylindrical body segments is threadedly engaged with and supported
by either the external thread of the cylindrical base segment, or
the externally threaded upper portion of one of the cylindrical
body segments; and a rim formed at a top of the cylindrical body
segments, whereby the cylindrical body segments are thereby
selectively movable between a collapsed position and an extended
position by twisting the rim with respect to the base.
2. The collapsible cup of claim 1, further comprising a flexible
liner having an access opening at a liner top and a liner base at a
liner bottom, the top of the flexible liner being attachable to or
adjacent the rim.
3. The collapsible cup of claim 2, wherein the flexible liner has a
plurality of folds disposed between the liner top and the liner
bottom.
4. The collapsible cup of claim 1, further comprising a lid that
engages the rim to cover the collapsible cup.
5. The collapsible cup of claim 2, further comprising a lid that
engages the rim to lock the liner top of the flexible liner between
the lid and the rim, such that the lid covers the access opening of
the liner top.
6. A collapsible cup comprising: a base for supporting the
collapsible cup; a series of cylindrical body segments of graduated
diameters which telescopically engage each other and the
cylindrical base segment; a rim formed at a top of the cylindrical
body segments; and internal and external threads of at least some
of the cylindrical body segments that together enable the
cylindrical body segments to be selectively movable between a
collapsed position and an extended position by twisting the rim
with respect to the base, wherein in the collapsed position the rim
is generally adjacent the base, wherein in the extended position
the rim is vertically spaced from the base, and wherein the
cylindrical body segments remain threadedly engaged during the
entire transition between the collapsed and extended positions, and
do not disengage.
7. The collapsible cup of claim 6, further comprising a flexible
liner having an access opening at a liner top and a liner base at a
liner bottom, the top of the flexible liner being attachable to or
adjacent the rim.
8. The collapsible cup of claim 7, wherein the flexible liner has a
plurality of folds disposed between the liner top and the liner
bottom.
9. The collapsible cup of claim 6, further comprising a lid that
engages the rim to cover the collapsible cup.
10. The collapsible cup of claim 7, further comprising a lid that
engages the rim to lock the liner top of the flexible liner between
the lid and the rim, such that the lid covers the access opening of
the liner top.
11. A collapsible cup comprising: a base; a cylindrical base
segment extending upwardly from the base, the cylindrical base
segment having an external thread on an external surface, adjacent
a top perimeter of the cylindrical base segment; a series of
cylindrical body segments of graduated diameters which
telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment;
an externally threaded upper portion of at least one of the
cylindrical body segments; an internal thread that extends the
across all of an internal surface of each of the cylindrical body
segments, such that each of the cylindrical body segments is
threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external thread
of the cylindrical base segment, or the externally threaded upper
portion of one of the cylindrical body segments; a rim formed at a
top of the cylindrical body segments, whereby the cylindrical body
segments are thereby selectively movable between a collapsed
position and an extended position by twisting the rim with respect
to the base; a flexible liner having an access opening at a liner
top and a liner base at a liner bottom, the top of the flexible
liner being attachable to or adjacent the rim; and a lid that
engages the rim to lock the liner top of the flexible liner between
the lid and the rim, such that the lid covers the access opening of
the liner top.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to cups, and more
particularly to a collapsible cup for holding a beverage, the cup
being adapted to be twisted between an extended position for
drinking, and a collapsed position for transportation and
storage.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] The following art defines the present state of this
field:
[0005] Friedman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,434, teaches a collapsible cup
that includes annular sections that include threaded strips that
threadedly engage one another to form a rigid cup. The threaded
strips are narrow, and only serve to lock the cup in a single
position, a completely extended position. Friedman does not teach
having the entire inner surface of the sections threaded, so that
the cup can be threadedly adjusted to any position desired.
Furthermore, Friedman does not teach a liner to be installed in the
cup.
[0006] Stewart-Stand, U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,285, teaches a
collapsible container that has a disk-shaped bottom and a
disk-shaped cover which fit one within the other and engage by
catches. A molded inner cup body has its base connected to the
bottom and a mouth surrounded with a ring which seals to the cover
and springs up from the bottom to erect the cup when the catches
are released.
[0007] Wang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,143, teaches a container which is
easily contracted and elastically expanded to restore its original
shape by a coil spring. This container includes a flexible body and
a capacity control ring. The body has a cylindrical interior for
containing something. The capacity control ring is spirally formed
around the outer surface of the sidewall of the body, and allows
the body to be contracted and elastically expanded in a vertical
direction, thus controlling the capacity of the body.
[0008] Erickson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,004, teaches a
compressible waste receptacle. The compressible waste receptacle
includes a bag member having an open top, a closed bottom, and a
rim disposed along an outer edge at the open top thereof; and also
includes a biased coiled spring member capable of being compressed
onto itself and also being removably disposed in the bag member;
and further includes an assembly for fastening the bag member to
the biased coiled spring member; and also includes an assembly to
retain the biased coiled spring member in a compressed
position.
[0009] Schneider et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,149, teaches a
collapsible container that includes a cylindrical sidewall
extending between a top and a bottom of the container. The sidewall
is formed of a flexible material which enables the container to be
opened to an expanded configuration or closed to a collapsed
configuration. A coil spring biases the container to the open
configuration. The coil spring has a top coil adjacent the top of
the container and a bottom coil adjacent the bottom of the
container. A durable bottom layer is affixed to the bottom of the
container by at least one clamp.
[0010] Schneider, U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,365, teaches a collapsible
container that includes a cylindrical sidewall extending between a
top and a bottom of the container. The sidewall is formed of a
flexible material which enables the container to be opened to an
expanded configuration or closed to a collapsed configuration. A
coil spring biases the container to the open configuration. The
coil spring has a top coil adjacent the top of the container and a
bottom coil adjacent the bottom of the container. A durable bottom
layer is affixed to the bottom of the container.
[0011] Other patents of interest include Chan, U.S. Pat. No.
5,960,983, Mann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,448, and Sedgwick, U.S.
Pat. No. 216,227. All of the above-described references are hereby
incorporated by reference in full.
[0012] The prior art teaches various forms of collapsible cups and
similar containers. However, the prior art does not teach a
collapsible cup that includes a series of cylindrical body segments
that together form a cup body, wherein at least one of the
cylindrical body segments has an internal thread that extends the
across substantially all of an internal surface of the cylindrical
body segment, enabling the collapsible cup to be moved completely
from the extended to the collapsed positions, without the threads
becoming disengaged.
[0013] The present invention fulfills these needs and provides
further related advantages as described in the following
summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention teaches certain benefits in
construction and use which give rise to the objectives described
below.
[0015] The present invention provides a collapsible cup comprising
a base; a cylindrical base segment extending upwardly from the
base, the cylindrical base segment having an external thread on an
external surface, adjacent a top perimeter of the cylindrical base
segment; a series of cylindrical body segments of graduated
diameters which telescopically engage each other and the
cylindrical base segment; an externally threaded upper portion of
at least one of the cylindrical body segments; an internal thread
that extends the across all of an internal surface of each of the
cylindrical body segments, such that each of the cylindrical body
segments is threadedly engaged with and supported by either the
external thread of the cylindrical base segment, or the externally
threaded upper portion of one of the cylindrical body segments; and
a rim formed at a top of the cylindrical body segments, whereby the
cylindrical body segments are thereby selectively movable between a
collapsed position and an extended position by twisting the rim
with respect to the base.
[0016] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a
collapsible cup having advantages not taught by the prior art.
[0017] Another objective is to provide a collapsible cup that can
be moved between an extended position and a collapsed position by
twisting a rim of the cup with respect to a base.
[0018] Another objective is to provide a collapsible cup that
includes a series of cylindrical body segments that together form a
cup body, at least one of the cylindrical body segments having an
internal thread that extends the across substantially all of an
internal surface of the cylindrical body segments, enabling the
collapsible cup to be moved completely from the extended to the
collapsed positions, without the threads becoming disengaged.
[0019] A further objective of one embodiment is to provide a
collapsible cup that includes a liner for use in association with a
cup body that is collapsible.
[0020] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by
way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention.
In such drawings:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible cup according
to one embodiment of the present invention, the collapsible cup
being positioned in an extended position;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the collapsible cup in a
collapsed position;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 3-3 in
FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 4-4 in
FIG. 2; and
[0026] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the collapsible
cup of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] The above-described drawing figures illustrate the
invention, a collapsible cup 10 that is adapted to be moved between
an extended position for use, and a collapsed position for
storage.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
collapsible cup 10, illustrating the collapsible cup 10 in the
extended position for drinking. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the
collapsible cup 10 in the collapsed position for storage. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, in the extended position the collapsible cup
10 forms a full sized cup that is suitable for drinking a beverage
(e.g., such as coffee while driving to work). As illustrated in
FIG. 2, in the collapsed position the collapsible cup 10 is reduced
to a much smaller size for storage.
[0029] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the collapsible cup 10 taken
along line 3-3 in FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the collapsible cup 10 taken
along line 4-4 in FIG. 2.
[0031] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the collapsible
cup 10. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the collapsible cup 10
includes a base 14 and a series of cylindrical body segments 30
that together form a rigid cup body. The cup body 12 may support a
flexible liner 42 for containing a fluid (e.g. a beverage).
[0032] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the base 14 includes a
bottom surface 16, and a cylindrical base segment 18 extending
upwardly from the base 14. The bottom surface 16 is adapted to
support the base 14 in an upright position upon a surface (e.g., a
countertop, not shown). In this embodiment, the cylindrical base
segment 18 forms a bottom part of the cup body 12. The base segment
18 preferably includes an external thread 20 on an external surface
22, preferably adjacent a top perimeter 24 of the cylindrical base
segment 18. The cylindrical base segment 18 may be attached to the
base 14 in any manner known in the art, it may be an integral part
of the base 14, or it may be another of the cylindrical body
segments 30, discussed below.
[0033] The remainder of the cup body 12 is formed by the series of
cylindrical body segments 30 of graduated diameters which
telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment
18. The cylindrical body segments 30 may include a constant inner
diameter, although in an alternative embodiment they may be
tapered. On an external surface 22 of the cylindrical body segments
30, an externally threaded upper portion 34 of at least one of the
cylindrical body segments 30 is adapted to threadedly engage an
internal thread 38 that preferably extends the across substantially
all of an internal surface 36 of each of the cylindrical body
segments 30. In this manner, each of the cylindrical body segments
30 is threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external
thread 20 of the cylindrical base segment 18, or the externally
threaded upper portion 34 of one of the cylindrical body segments
30.
[0034] For purposes of this application, the term "substantially
all" means that enough of the internal surface 36 is threaded to
enable the cup 10 to be moved completely from the extended to the
collapsed positions, without the threads becoming disengaged.
[0035] A rim 40 is formed at a top of the cylindrical body segments
30, in this embodiment as a separate component that locks onto the
uppermost body segment. In this embodiment, the rim 40 is generally
U-shaped and includes a locking recess 44 (e.g., slot, ridge, etc.)
for engaging the liner, described below. In another embodiment, the
rim 40 may be an integral part of the uppermost body segment, and
not a separate component as illustrated in the present embodiment.
Obviously, the rim 40 may have many alternative constructions, and
such alternatives known in the art should be considered within the
scope of the present invention.
[0036] This unique threaded engagement enables the cylindrical body
segments 30 to be selectively movable between the collapsed
position and the extended position by twisting the rim 40 with
respect to the base 14. As the rim 40 is rotated with respect to
the base 14, all of the cylindrical body segments 30, along with
the cylindrical base segment 18, move along the connecting threads
to raise or lower the rim 40 with respect to the base 14.
[0037] In one embodiment, the collapsible cup 10 further includes
the flexible liner 42 for containing the liquid added to the
collapsible cup 10. The flexible liner 42 may include an access
opening 46 at a liner top 48 and a liner base 50 at a liner bottom
52. The liner base 50 is closed, for containing the fluid. The top
of the flexible liner 42 is attachable to or adjacent the rim 40.
The flexible liner 42 may have a plurality of folds 54 disposed
between the liner top 48 and the liner bottom 52.
[0038] The collapsible cup 10 may further comprise a lid 60 that
engages the rim 40 to cover the collapsible cup 10. The lid 60
engages the rim 40 to lock the liner top 48 of the flexible liner
42 between the lid 60 and the rim 40, such that the lid 60 covers
the access opening 46 of the liner top 48.
[0039] The terminology used in the specification provided above is
hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or
alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one
skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent
application. Additionally, the words "a," "an," and "one" are
defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless
specifically stated otherwise. Also, the terms "have," "include,"
"contain," and similar terms are defined to mean "comprising"
unless specifically stated otherwise.
[0040] While the invention has been described with reference to at
least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by
those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto.
Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in
conjunction with the appended claims.
* * * * *