Beverage Cup with Improved Grip and Cup Holder with Improved Grip

Abstract

A plastic disposable cup comprises a plastic cup body; and a gripping band between about 1 to 3 formed in the plastic cup body above a horizontal midline of the cup, wherein the band includes a plurality of outwardly embossed gripping projections formed in an array, wherein the gripping projections have effective diameters of less than 0.2. A silicon band for holding a cup to increase user grip comprises a silicon ring band body; and a plurality of outwardly embossed gripping projections formed in an array on the silicon ring band body, wherein the gripping projections have effective diameters of less than 0.2, wherein the embossed gripping projections are formed in a pattern of offset horizontal circumferential rows.

Claims

1. A plastic disposable cup comprising: a plastic cup body; and a gripping band between about 1 to 3 formed in the plastic cup body above a horizontal midline of the cup, wherein the band includes a plurality of outwardly embossed gripping projections formed in an array, wherein the gripping projections have effective diameters of less than 0.2.

2. The plastic disposable cup of claim 1 wherein the embossed gripping projections are formed in a pattern of offset horizontal circumferential rows.

3. The plastic disposable cup of claim 2 wherein the thickness of the plastic cup body is about 0.012 and wherein the projection height is less than three times the cup body thickness.

4. The plastic disposable cup of claim 3 wherein the embossed gripping projections are formed in eight rows.

5. The plastic disposable cup of claim 4 wherein each gripping projection is a semi-spherical projection.

6. The plastic disposable cup of claim 5 wherein each gripping projection has a diameter of about 0.06.

7. The plastic disposable cup of claim 6 wherein the gripping band is in the upper quadrant of the height of the cup.

8. The plastic disposable cup of claim 6 wherein the cup is configured to be formed by continuous thermoforming.

9. The plastic disposable cup of claim 6 further including at least one logo area including an embossed logo.

10. A gripping band for a cup to increase user grip comprising: a plurality of outwardly embossed gripping projections formed in an array, wherein the gripping projections have effective diameters of less than 0.2, wherein the embossed gripping projections are formed in a pattern of offset horizontal circumferential rows.

11. The gripping band of claim 10 wherein the embossed gripping projections are formed in eight rows.

12. The gripping band of claim 11 wherein each gripping projection is a semi-spherical projection.

13. The gripping band of claim 12 wherein each gripping projection has a diameter of about 0.06.

14. The gripping band of claim 13 further including at least one logo area including an embossed logo.

15. The gripping band of claim 14 wherein the gripping band is integral with a disposable plastic cup wherein a thickness of a plastic cup body of the cup is about 0.012 and wherein each projection height is less than three times the cup body thickness.

16. The gripping band of claim 14 wherein the gripping band is integral with a silicon ring sized to receive a conventional conical disposable cup.

17. A silicon band for holding a cup to increase user grip comprising A silicon ring band body; and a plurality of outwardly embossed gripping projections formed in an array on the silicon ring band body, wherein the gripping projections have effective diameters of less than 0.2, wherein the embossed gripping projections are formed in a pattern of offset horizontal circumferential rows.

18. The silicon band for holding a cup of claim 17 wherein the embossed gripping projections are formed in eight rows.

19. The silicon band for holding a cup of claim 18 wherein each gripping projection is a semi-spherical projection.

20. The silicon band for holding a cup of claim 19 wherein each gripping projection has a diameter of about 0.06.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic disposable cup with grip enhancing features according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is an elevated side view of the plastic disposable cup of FIG. 1.

[0017] FIGS. 3A and 3B are enlarged elevation views of the band portion of the cup of FIGS. 1-2.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a stack of three of the disposable beverage cups of FIGS. 1-2.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the stack of three beverage cups of FIG. 4.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plastic disposable cup with grip enhancing features according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 7 is an elevated side view of the plastic disposable cup of FIG. 6.

[0022] FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a stack of three of the disposable beverage cups of FIGS. 6-7.

[0023] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the stack of three beverage cups of FIG. 8.

[0024] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of alternative geometric shapes for the gripping projections used in the grip enhancing features of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of alternative icon shapes for the gripping projections used in the grip enhancing features of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 12 schematically shows a thermoforming manufacturing process for forming a disposable beverage cup of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a silicon band cup holder with grip enhancing features according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] One embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5 showing a plastic disposable cup 10 according to the present invention yielding effective efficient grip enhancing feature with band 14 having projections 20 for disposable cups 10 which does not alter to general cost or operation of the cup 10.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic disposable cup 10 according to the present invention yielding effective efficient grip enhancing feature in the form of a band 14 having grip enhancing projections 20 formed in the body or sidewall 12 of the cup. FIG. 2 is an elevated side view of the plastic disposable cup 10 of FIG. 1. FIGS. 3A and 3B are enlarged elevation views of the band portion 14 of the cup 10 of FIGS. 1-2 to illustrate the details of the gripping band 14.

[0030] One embodiment of the present invention is a plastic disposable cup 10 having a gripping band 14 between about 1 to 3, generally about 1-2, and specifically 1.06 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 (and 6-9) extending around the periphery of the cup 10. The band 14 is preferably above a horizontal midline of the cup 10, preferably in the upper quadrant (i.e. the top 25% of the height of the cup 10) which is where most frusto-conical cups are gripped by users.

[0031] The band 14 includes a plurality of outwardly embossed gripping projections 20 formed in an array. Each individual gripping projection 20 as shown is a semi-spherical projection having a diameter of 0.06 +/?0.015. The gripping band 14 embossed gripping projections 20 will have a height of 0.02 +/?0.015. The height is measured from the base of the embossed gripping projections 20 which is aligned with the remaining portions of the sidewall 12 of the cup 10, to the radially outward-most part of the projection 20. The thickness of the sidewall 12 is about 0.012 such that the projection height is less than three times the sidewall 12 thickness generally less than two times this thickness.

[0032] Further, the gripping band 14 embossed gripping projections 20 will have a pattern of offset horizontal circumferential rows and a spacing of about two to six projection diameters, here 0.28 +/?0.015, between each projection in each row, except in a logo area 16 if a logo area 16 is within the band 14 as in the embodiments of FIGS. 6-9. FIGS. 1-5 shows an embodiment of cup 10 with a logo area 16 about 1 and 1/2 below the band 14 (here 1.12 +/?0.015). The rows of projections 20 are preferably spaced about ? to 3 projection diameters from each other, here the adjacent row spacing is 0.10+/?0.015 with aligned alternative rows being spaced 0.20+/?0.015. The offset rows of projections 20 can also be viewed as forming diagonal lines of projections 20. The small diameter projections 20 are about 23-24 projections 20 per square inch of sidewall 12 in the band 14 which will engage with the user's hands and fingers to improve gripping.

[0033] A logo area 16 that is free of embossed gripping projections 20 may optionally be included within the band 14 as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 6-9. The projections 20 may also be frusto-conical in an alternative arrangement. The logo area 16 in the embodiments of FIGS. 6-9 is an oval of about 1 by about 1.5 (specifically 0.99 +/?0.015 by 1.57 +/?0.015). The logo area 16 is intended to allow for an embossed logo 24. The logo 24 is primarily for branding, advertising or decorative purposes and the logo 24 is generally much larger than projections 20 and will generally have a height sufficient for visibility only. It is possible a collection of projections 20 could be orientated in the logo area 16 to form the logo 24.

[0034] A variety of projection 20 shapes may be used such as shown in FIGS. 10-11 with each shape of projection 20 extending in the radially outward direction. The projection 20 shapes are may be all the same for a single band as shown above, but a combination of shapes is possible. Further the projections 20 may vary in effective diameter in a given band, e.g., the projections along a center line of the band being of a larger effective diameter than those toward the edges of the band. FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a variety of simple geometric shapes for the projections 20 used in the gripping band 14 of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 11 schematically illustrates a variety of sports themed shaped projections 20 used in the gripping band 14 of the present invention. The details (inside of a racket, tennis ball seams, etc.) of the themed projections 20 would generally be formed as relief portions. The size of the projections 20 is technically only limited to the band width 14, however they should be sized to create an improved grip to the device. The projection 20 sizes having effective diameters (i.e. largest diameter of the projection 20, generally measured along the sidewall 12) of less than 0.2, preferably less than 0.1, and most preferably 0.045 -0.075 are deemed most efficient for improving grip. The offset rows of effective diameter projections 20 also prevent sticking of stacked cups even in the presence of moisture.

[0036] The disposable plastic beverage cup 10 with improved grip formed by band 14 and projections 20 according to the present invention is designed to be formed by thermoforming, schematically shown in 12 which is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet forming sidewalls 12 of the cup 10 is heated to a pliable forming temperature in an oven at stage 40, formed to a specific shape in a mold at stage 50, and trimmed to create a usable product cup 10 in stage 60. The sheet, or film when referring to thinner gauges and certain material types, is heated in an oven to a high-enough temperature that permits it to be stretched into or onto a mold and cooled to a finished shape of the cup 10.

[0037] In the a method of high-volume, continuous thermoforming of thin-gauge products such as the cup 10 of the present invention, plastic sheet is fed from a roll or from an extruder into a set of indexing chains that incorporate pins, or spikes, that pierce the sheet and transport it through an oven 40 for heating to forming temperature. The heated sheet then indexes into a form station 50 where a mating mold and pressure-box close on the sheet, with vacuum then applied to remove trapped air and to pull the material into or onto the mold along with pressurized air to form the plastic to the detailed shape of the mold. The detailed shape includes the conventional cup together with the band 14 projections 20, logo area 16 and logo 24. Plug-assists are typically used in addition to vacuum in the case of the taller, deeper-draw formed part 10 of the invention in order to provide the needed material distribution and thicknesses in the finished part or cup 10. After a short form cycle, a burst of reverse air pressure is actuated from the vacuum side of the mold as the form tooling opens, commonly referred to as air-eject, to break the vacuum and assist the formed part 10 off of, or out of, the mold. A stripper plate may also be utilized on the mold as it opens for ejection of parts 10. The sheet containing the formed parts or cups 10 then indexes into a trim station 60 on the same machine, where a die cuts the parts 10 from the remaining sheet. The sheet web remaining after the formed parts 10 are trimmed is typically wound onto a take-up reel or fed into an inline granulator for recycling.

[0038] The projections 20 and the gripping band 14 are designed to facilitate and enhance gripping features and manufacturing in a thermoforming process. The individual projections 20 and the band 14 in total can be easily manufactured by thermoforming techniques without additional costs of material nor wear on the molding equipment. In addition to enhanced gripping, the band 14 yields a tactile response to the user that can also improve the overall function of the cup 10. The cup 10 remains stackable and all the other utilitarian functions of the cup 10 remain intact.

[0039] The band 14 of the present invention can also minimize cracking of the cup 10 that can occur with excessive pressure by the user. The tactile feedback of the band 14 can help minimize the over gripping that can lead to cup failure.

[0040] As noted the band 14 can be interrupted on one or two sides with a logo space 16 and the logo 24 may be separately embossed, or possibly printed as known in the art. The logo spaces 16 when located within in the band 14 will be limited so as to not interfere with the gripping advantages of the band 14 with no more than two such spaces or area 16 in the band 14.

[0041] The projections 20 on the band 14 also assist in stacking of the cups 10 preventing vacuum coupling of the stacked cups 10 that can otherwise occur in some cup designs.

[0042] FIG. 13 schematically shows a silicone gripping band 70 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Here the gripping band 14 is formed on a silicon ring 70 sized to receive a conventional conical disposable cup such as 10 or conventional cups. The band 14 and projections 20 and logo area 16 and logo 24 are the same as discussed above in connection with FIGS. 1-11, other than being formed of silicone. The gripping ring of FIG. 13 slips around a disposable cup and is reusable. The silicone ring or band 70 also serves as a thermal insulation between the user and the contents of the cup being held. FIG. 13 can be described as a silicon band 70 for holding a cup to increase user grip including a silicon ring band body; and a plurality of outwardly embossed gripping projections 20 formed in an array on the silicon ring band body in the band 14, wherein the gripping projections 20 have effective diameters of less than 0.2, and wherein the embossed gripping projections 20 are formed in a pattern of offset horizontal circumferential rows.

[0043] The present invention yields an improved disposable plastic cup design as shown but may be used for non-disposable cups including those made of other materials such as aluminum.

[0044] In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed technology may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only examples and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Rather, the scope of the disclosure is at least as broad as the full scope of the following claims.

[0045] We therefore claim all that comes within the scope of these claims and their equivalents.