U.S. patent application number 12/877028 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-29 for integral handle and holder for removable cups.
Invention is credited to Sunny Yu Sun Yeung.
Application Number | 20120074155 12/877028 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45869623 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120074155 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yeung; Sunny Yu Sun |
March 29, 2012 |
Integral handle and holder for removable cups
Abstract
A holder for removable cups provides critical advantages for
safe evacuation and efficient transport of removable cups. The
holder securely carries a single removable cup by providing an
interference fit that increases with the weight of the contents
carried. The holder allows for safe evacuation of the contents of a
single cup through provision of an integral handle extending down
from the ring holder. When the invention is loaded with a removable
cup, multiples of this Invention can be stacked in an offset
fashion by inserting the handle of one unit into the vertical
hollow in the handle of the next unit. The security of the cluster
increases with the weight of the contents yet jamming is avoided
through the provision of flat features in the handle. The offset
pattern of stacking is also determined by the provision of flats in
the vertical hollow in the handle. The Invention, when empty, can
be nested stacked.
Inventors: |
Yeung; Sunny Yu Sun;
(Scarborough, CA) |
Family ID: |
45869623 |
Appl. No.: |
12/877028 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/737 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 23/0216 20130101;
B65D 23/106 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/737 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00 |
Claims
1. A holder for removable cups allows for offset stacking when
loaded with removable cups by allowing the insertion of the handle
of an upper unit into the handle of the lower unit by virtue of a
handle hollow containing flat features that act as keys to
orientate the upper ring holder out of contact with the ring holder
of the lower unit.
2. A holder for removable cups allows for offset stacking when
loaded with removable cups by allowing the insertion of the handle
of an upper unit into the handle of the lower unit by virtue of a
handle hollow containing flat features that prevent the jamming of
the stacked loaded holders.
3. A holder for removable cups allows for stacking when loaded with
up to five removable cups such that the height of the stack is less
than the product of the cup height multiplied by the number of
stacked units.
4. A holder for removable cups allows for the safe evacuation of
contents by providing a ring holder that provides an interference
fit with a removable cup allowing the safe evacuation of the cup
contents.
5. A holder for removable cups allows for the safe evacuation of
contents by providing an integral vertical handle allowing the safe
evacuation of the cup contents.
Description
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0003] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] 1. Field of the Invention
[0005] The present invention relates to a handle and holder system
for cups.
[0006] 2. Description of Related Art Including Information
Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
[0007] The Invention described in this application is a stackable
cup holder comprising a vertical handle that is integrated into a
tapered round ring holder. The cross section of the integral handle
is not perfectly circular. The ring holder portion functions to
hold a removable cup inserted into the larger aperture. The
removable cup itself is not part of the Invention although the
aperture for holding the cup is designed to fit ranges of cups
commonly used in commerce. These include disposable beverage cups
used in commerce that have increasingly greater diameters of cross
section up the vertical axis of the cup to make a cup that is
inverted conical or truncated inverted conical in shape.
[0008] Patents for cup holders for removable cups can be
categorized upon four functional variables. The first variable is
the ability to securely transport a cup. The second variable is the
ability to safely effect evacuation of cup contents. The third
variable is the ability to be stacked in multiples with cups loaded
into the holders. The fourth variable is the ability to be nested
in multiples in the absence of the removable cups for efficient use
of space in storage. Nesting can be defined as the stacking of an
identical or complementary item wherein features of the next item
stacked pierce the plane along which the items are stacked.
[0009] A first category of cups holder designs is comprised of
those portable carriers of removable cups that simply transport.
These carriers are not designed to allow for the safe evacuation of
contents. Bradley (U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,366, Feb. 18, 2003) patented
a holder for three cups that does allow for secure transport of
inserted cups, but does not allow for safe evacuation of contents
owing to no handle being present. Stacking in an offset fashion
when loaded with removable cups is not possible in this design.
Multiple removable cups are instead accommodated in the horizontal
plane of the carrying tray. Nested stacking of empty holders is
also not possible in the Bradley design. Olsen (US 2008/020320,
Aug. 28, 2008) devised a cup carrier made of flexible plastic that
does not allow for evacuation, that does not allow for offset
stacking, and that does not allow for nested stacking, although it
can securely transport cups. Libit (US 2005/0211578, Sep. 29, 2005)
also illustrates a large group of patents describing foldable
cardboard cup transport carriers that only serve to transport
removable cups. They are not used for safe evacuation of the
contents of a cup that has been loaded into the carrier. They are
not used to stack when loaded with removable cups. They are not
able to be stacked in a nested fashion when empty.
[0010] These A second category of cup holders are those that hold
removable cups, allow for safe evacuation of the contents of the
cup, and stack when loaded with removable cups. The main
distinction is that they have no facility for offset stacking when
loaded with removable cups. Instead they simply stack end to end.
Lan (US 2006/0175506, Aug. 19, 2006) describes an integrated and
adjustable cup handle with ring and large base. The main function
of the Lan design is to hold a range of cups; conceivably it could
be stacked end on end when loaded with the removable cups if lids
were applied. The portable beverage container designed by Stokes
(U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,363, Jul. 6, 2004) goes even further in this
concept by providing a handle integrated into a uniquely shaped cup
receptacle for a removable cup. The consequence of this design is
that the removable cup also has to have that unique design to fit.
When equipped with a lid these cup holders could conceivably be
stacked end to end. A lighter version of these designs that is
specifically designed to be stacked end on end safely is seen in
the stackable cup holder design by Liebermann (U.S. Pat. No.
4,726,470, Feb. 23 1988). None of these designs allow for nested
stacking for storage. None of these designs allow for offset
stacking when loaded with removable cups.
[0011] A third category of cup holders relies upon the integrity of
the rim of the removable cup. This could be present a safety risk
when used with hot liquids in disposable cups. Such cup holders are
distinct because they do not incorporate any sort of complete ring
to hold the removable cup. Baum (U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,064, Jul. 8,
2003) described a detachable cup handle that clips onto and levers
against the rim of the cup for carrying. Otherwise it is just a
handle that can be nested stacked when in storage. It conceivably
could be used in multiples for offset stacking and transport when
loaded with cups. The safe evacuation of the contents of the cup is
put at risk by the degree of integrity of the rim of the cup. Scott
(U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,694, Oct. 5, 2004) designed a specimen up with
a handle that employs a female thread on the inside of a holding
ring that threads into a male thread incorporated on the outside
rim of the removable cup. This presents new risk in the clean
evacuation of the contents. These risks include failure of the
removable cup thread plus contamination of the contents upon
evacuation by the holder itself and deviations in evacuated content
flow in directions not anticipated when the contents encounter the
holder rim itself. It can be seen that the Invention described in
this application is distinct from such devices in that it ensures
the safe evacuation of the contents of the removable cup by
avoiding contact between the rim of the removable cup and the cup
holder itself. The Invention further ensures safe evacuation by not
relying on the integrity of the removable cup lip.
[0012] One driving force in the evolution of cup holders is the
minimization of materials. This leads to the final category of cup
holders described in this Application. This category is described
by lightweight cup holders that attempt to provide all four
functions discussed in this Application. Rokov (2004/020093, Sep.
29, 2005) does provide a simple handle plus ring holder that allows
for nested stacking when empty. The design consists of a tapered
ring holder attached to a upward strip projecting outward at the
same angle of taper as incorporated into the ring holder. It
arguably provides for safe evacuation of the contents owing to the
provision of a handle. This last point is arguable since for some
contents such as hot liquid being drunk the evacuation would be
awkward. The awkwardness arises from a slight variation in handle
position being magnified in a considerable increase in rate of
evacuation of contents. The design by Rokov might allow for
transport of multiple loaded cups if further developed but this
would be in an end to end fashion. The Rokov design can be nested
stacked for storage. Another design that allows for safe evacuation
of contents is that of Sawhaney et al. (U.S. 2008/0017540, Jan. 24,
2008). This design for nestable measuring cups allows increasing
smaller cups to be stacked into one another for storage owing to
the cup handle shape allow for stacking. While this design is
entirely distinct as it does not allow for the transport of
removable cups, it is instructive as it touches upon the design
meme of multiple stacking through complementary shape of upper and
lower partners in the stack. This complement is not just in the
band in this case but also in the shape of the handle. A related
design meme is also seen in the Invention in this Application. As
opposed to the Sawhaney design, the handles in this Invention are
not flat but tapered tubular in shape. The Bruinsma design (U.S.
Pat. No. 6,360,913, Mar. 26, 2002) used an integrated ring holder
and handle and is possibly the closest patent design to the
Invention described in this Application. It differs in having no
capacity for stacking when loaded with removable cups nor nested
stacking of the empty units. Similar designs by Shamis (Des.
370,384, Jun. 4, 1996) and Hung (D333,074, Feb. 9, 1993) share the
ability to be stacked when empty, hold a loaded removable cup
securely, enable safe evacuation of contents but lack the ability
to be stacked in an offset pattern when loaded with removable
cups.
[0013] The present Invention as described in this Application also
fits into this final category.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The Invention described in this application is a stackable
cup holder comprising an integral handle with a hollow cross
section that is not perfectly circular that is integrated with a
tapered round ring holder. The removable cup itself is not part of
the Invention although the aperture for holding the cup is designed
to fit ranges of cups commonly used in commerce. The handle itself
also provides a volume making it easy to hold and provide ergonomic
features such as thumb grips.
[0015] The first function of the Invention is to allow for
insertion of a removable cup that will lodge into the tapered ring
for the purpose of secure transport. The second function of the
Invention is to allow the user to tilt the cup safely using the
handle to evacuate the contents at a rate proportional to the angle
of tilt. The third function of this Invention is the potential for
stacking two to five of these cup holders in an offset fashion when
each holder is equipped with a removable cup filled or empty. The
fourth function of the Invention is to allow for nested stacking of
the cup holders when not equipped with a removable cup for
efficient storage and transport both before sale and after when in
use.
[0016] This Invention therefore has the following
functionalities:
[0017] This Invention is able to securely effect the transport of a
removable cup.
[0018] This Invention is able to safely effect the evacuation of
the contents of a removable cup.
[0019] Multiples of this Invention are able to be stacked in an
offset fashion when loaded with removable cups.
[0020] This Invention is able to be nested stacked for storage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of
the present invention, showing attachment to cup.
[0022] FIG. 2(A) is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG.
1, showing a first stacking configuration.
[0023] FIG. 2(B) is an upper perspective view of the embodiment of
FIG. 1, showing a second stacking configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The most common removable cup may be the disposable beverage
cup. The convenient disposable cup brings with it environmental
disadvantages as well as ergonomic disadvantages. One ergonomic
disadvantage commonly encountered is the heat of the contents
presenting a safety risk in holding the cup itself or in evacuating
its contents safely during drinking. For this reason disposable
holders for drinking and disposable trays for transporting add to
the already considerable environmental footprint of the disposable
drinking cup. The Invention described in this application replaces
both the cardboard ring or second cup needed to hold the hot
beverage cup as well as the tray used to hold multiple cups. It can
be made of recycled plastic and reused owing to the ability of the
nested stacked unit to be stored efficiently relative to the size
of the removable cup it is used to carry. The Invention can also be
used as an efficient display device for other loose contents such
as flowers planted in soil within the cup.
[0025] The stackable cup holder Invention is illustrated in FIG. 1,
showing a ring holder (1) that is tapered outward upward in order
to securely grip upon a removable cup (2) with a complementary
taper. This design allows for insertion of cups with a range of cup
diameters and cup tapers. Flats (4) are designed into the internal
diameter of the hollow (3) in the handle (5). The ring holder
functions to hold a removable cup inserted into the larger aperture
through a light interference fit based on friction. The strength of
frictional force holding the cup in place is proportional to the
weight of the cup contents and is also dependent on the surface
characteristics of the removable cup. The removable cup itself is
not part of the Invention although the aperture for holding the cup
is designed to fit ranges of cups commonly used in commerce. These
include disposable beverage cups used in commerce that have
increasingly greater diameters of cross section up the vertical
axis of the cup to make a cup that is inverted conical or truncated
inverted conical in shape.
[0026] Although the removable cup is not part of this Invention
certain cup features should be reviewed to examine whether they
conflict with the Invention functions. A base is assumed in a cup
to hold contents but is sometimes absent. A lip is often present in
disposable cups but is sometimes absent in cups made of rigid
materials. A lid is an option for any cup. This Invention does not
rely upon the presence of a cup base nor a lip nor a lid and indeed
enables the use of these features while still maintaining the
functions of carrying and evacuating and stacking and nesting.
Other inventions described in this Application can have their
functionality reduced by cups that vary in these three
features.
[0027] The second function of the Invention is to allow the user to
tilt the cup safely using the handle to evacuate the contents at a
rate proportional to the angle of tilt. The evacuation is safe
because the fulcrum of angle tilt is near to the point of
evacuation of contents.
[0028] The third function of this Invention is the potential for
stacking two to five of these cup holders in an offset fashion when
each holder is equipped with a removable cup filled or empty.
Stacking of loaded cup holders is illustrated in FIG. 2(a) where
three cups are stacked for easy portability. The flats incorporated
into the hollows of the handle (3) perform two functions in
stacking. The first is to prevent jamming of the handles as would
occur with a perfectly circular internal diameter at cross section.
The second is to act as keys to distribute multiple cups in a
stable offset pattern to prevent the ring holders (1) loaded with
full removable cups (1) from banging into one another during
transport. Offset stacking also allows for a smaller vertical
dimension of stacking in comparison with end to end stacking.
Offset stacking is preferred when a short vertical stacking
distance is desired. A unique feature of this offset design is that
the security of the stack increases with the weight of contents
carried in the cups. A person holding multiple cups would prefer a
shorter cluster as it easier to balance and less likely to fall
apart.
[0029] The fourth function of the Invention is nested stacking of
the cup holders when not equipped with a removable cup for
efficient storage and transport both before sale and after when in
use. FIG. 2(b) illustrates how closely and securely the empty
holders can be nested to maximize efficient storage.
[0030] The combination of these four functionalities makes this a
novel Device. The design features enabling these functions are
presented as Claims for innovation.
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