Containers

Abstract

A disposable cup provided with a gift token to promote sales, the cup being double walled, and having a portion which is defined by a line of weakness and which can be detached to constitute the token, or which can be bent back to reveal the token. The token is preferably the central part of the outer bottom wall, and includes a tab which projects to the bottom edge for easy detachment.

Description

For the purpose of encouraging sales by the making of premium offers, it is desirable to associate an article which is sold with a token which can be collected by the purchaser and redeemed for a gift or otherwise. The present invention is concerned with making this procedure applicable to a new class of goods, namely drinks sold from vending machines.

According to the present invention, a disposable cup has an inner wall and an outer wall, the outer wall having a frangible line of weakness which defines a portion of the wall which can be bent back to reveal a token, or a portion which can be detached to constitute a token.

One cup which embodies this invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cup; and

FIG. 2 is an axial section through the lower portion of the cup.

The cup is of the disposable plastics type, as delivered containing drinks from vending machines. It comprises an outer wall 10 surrounding an inner wall 12 and defining between them an insulating non-conducting space 14. The top of the inner wall is curled outwards and downwards to form a bead 15 over the outwardly projecting rim of the inner wall, not visible, to fasten the two walls together and provide a smooth rim for drinking. Ribs 16 surrounding the outer wall assist manual gripping, and shelves 18 surrounding the base prevent the cups when stacked from jamming into one another.

In accordance with the present invention, in the base 20 of the outer wall a line of weakness 22 is formed. The line lies on about 340.degree. of a circular arc, but smoothly curves radially outwards at the two ends of that arc to define between them a tab 24. The lines of weakness which define the edges of the tab extend to the periphery of the bottom outer wall, and a small distance up the side wall. A line of weakness 26, lying in the bottom near the periphery of the bottom, intersects then transversely, defining the extremity of the tab, and the edge of a flap 27.

In use, after the cup has been filled, dispensed and the contents drunk, it can be split open by upward outward pressure on the edge portion of the cup adjacent to the line 26. The side edges of the tab 24 can then be split by pulling the tab away from the inner wall, and the splitting progressively moves around the circular arc until the central frusto conical portion 28 of the base of the lower outer wall, with the tab, are detached from the rest of the cup to constitute a token. The token can be retained and sent, with many others, to redeem an advertised offer.

The token can have identifying markings imprinted on it or in it during its manufacture.

The lines of weakness can be defined by mere local thinness or can be a series of slots or slits alternating with small bridges of uncut material. The line of weakness does not introduce any risk of leakage because of the continuous inner wall. In one example, a circular token about 3 cm. diameter is connected to the rest of the cup by four or five bridges, each about 1 mm. wide.

The line of weakness can be introduced during the course of moulding the outer cup from sheet material, by differential pressure with mechanical assistance, for which purpose the mould must have small ridges where the material is to be thin or interrupted. Alternatively, the line of weakness may be formed by a separate operation, either cold or hot.

Having the part 28 located in a central part of the bottom of the outer wall, is safer than having it anywhere else on the surface of the cup because it is not likely to be prematurely dislodged either by a hand grasping the cup, or by standing the cup on a flat surface.

However, the invention does include the possibility of the area being in the side wall, or partly in the side and partly in the bottom, although it is more convenient for the token to be substantially flat.

In a different cup, not shown, a coin or similar token is placed between the two bottom surfaces of the cup walls before the inner and outer walls are slid together. The outer wall has imparted to it during moulding a severable flap defined by an arcuate line of weakness. The flap can be fractured by manual pressure, then bent back to release the coin.

Although the invention has been described in relation to a cup of plastics material, it is applicable to cups of metal foil, paper or similar continuous sheet materials.

Claims

We claim:

1. A disposable plastic cup comprising an outer cup and an inner cup disposed within said outer cup with an insulating air space therebetween, the upper end of said inner cup curled outwardly and downwardly over the upper end of said outer cup to join said inner and outer cups together and to form a drinking rim, the bottom wall of said inner cup being substantially flat, the bottom wall of said outer cup having a circular center portion, a first annular wall extending upwardly from said circular center portion, a second annular wall extending from the top of said first annular wall downwardly and outwardly to the lower end of the side wall of said outer cup whereby said first and second annular walls form an annular upwardly projecting supporting rib immediately beneath said flat bottom wall of said inner cup, the junction of said first and second annular walls being formed as a circular weakened line which is discontinuous over one segment thereof, and radial weakened lines extending from the ends of said circular weakened line to the side wall of said outer cup to form a frangible tab for fracturing and removing said circular center portion.