Tip-Resistant Cup with Handle
A tip-resistant cup with handle having at least three external extended legs that prevent tip-overs. The external legs extend down to the surface the cup being placed on to provide support from three different directions. In addition, any of the legs can be used has a handle. Cups of the present invention can be stacked like other cups by simply rotating the position of the legs. The cup of the present invention can also have a curved lip to further prevent spilling when the user is drinking.
This application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/706,931 filed Sep. 28, 2012. Application 61/706,931 is hereby incorporated in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the field of cups and more particularly to a cup with handle that cannot easily be tipped over.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEMA typical cup is very easy to knock over. Patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other disorders especially find it very difficult to use a regular cup and many times tip it over while trying to drink. A typical cup with handle has a high center of gravity and is easily tipped.
Cups with wide bases and narrow tops are known in the art as attempts to partially solve this problem. While these cups work fairly well for healthy people, they are also easily tipped over by people with Parkinson's disease. Also, they slosh and spill some liquid if bumped or pushed. Other cups have been made with quite heavy weights in their bottoms. While these are hard to tip over, they are also heavy to lift and uncomfortable to drink from.
It would be very advantageous to have a cup that was almost impossible to tip over by brushing, pushing, touching, placing down on a bottom edge instead of the flat bottom and any other way a cup may tip over. It would also be advantageous if the cup had a modern, stylish look.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a tip-resistant cup that has three external extended legs that prevent tip-overs. While three is the preferred number of legs, more that three can be used. The external legs extend down to approximately the surface the cup being placed on to provide support from three different directions. In addition, any of the legs can be used has a handle. Cups of the present invention can be stacked like other cups by simply rotating the position of the legs. The cup of the present invention can also have a curved lip to further prevent spilling when the user is drinking.
Several drawings illustrate features of the present invention:
Several drawings and illustrations have been presented to aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to what is shown in the figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTThe present invention relates to a tip-proof and spill-proof cup that is equipped with several legs to prevent tip-over and a curved lip to further prevent spilling. The preferred embodiment has three legs spaced evenly around the cup that extend downward to beyond the level of the cup bottom, thereby lifting the cup bottom from the resting surface. This is shown in
It should be noted that the embodiment shown in
It should be appreciated that in some embodiments of the cup, the preferred material will be plastic, thereby making the cup more resistant to breaking from impact. Furthermore, when molded from plastic, the cup can be manufactured with thinner wall thickness and thus able to be stacked even more densely than if the cup is made from porcelain. Furthermore, it would be desirable in those cases that the cups can be stacked directly on top of one another without requiring they be rotated relative to one another. This becomes possible because of the thinner wall thickness.
It should also be noted that any one of the legs can be used as a handle to hold the cup.
The legs function to provide a counter-torque to the moment created by a tipping force.
As previously stated, the preferred number of legs is three; however, the cup of the present invention may have more than three legs. It should also be noted that while the bottom of the cup body is shown as being of smaller diameter than the top of the cup body, this is not necessary to the functioning of the invention. The bottom of the cup body can have any diameter as long as it fits within the legs.
It is advantageous in some embodiments that the legs of the cup have a curved cross-section and base as shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the legs curve downward from widest point on the cup body. In this embodiment, they intersect the cup body at an acute angle and intersect the table or other resting surface at approximately a right angle. While curved legs are preferred to make them easy to hold, straight legs are within the scope of the present invention.
Several descriptions and illustrations have been provided to aid in understanding the present invention. One with skill in the art will realize that numerous changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each of these changes and variations is within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A tip-proof coffee cup comprising:
- a cup body having a lower part, an upper part and a bottom, the upper part being of greater diameter than the lower part;
- a plurality of external legs extending outward and downward from the upper part of said cup body, the legs extending downward to a point below the bottom of said cup body.
2. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 wherein said coffee cup has three legs.
3. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 wherein each of the legs has a cross-section that is curved concave outward away from said cup body.
4. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 wherein said cup body has a drinking lip, and each of the legs curves downward away from the upper part of said cup body such that the leg's distil end encounters a resting surface at approximately right angles and its proximal end into said cup body at an acute angle below said drinking lip.
5. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 4 wherein a region of said cup body approaching said drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of said cup body.
6. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 wherein the drinking lip has a diameter larger then the lower part of said cup body.
7. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 wherein said cup body has a drinking lip and wherein a region of said cup body approaching the drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of said cup body.
8. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 adapted so that a plurality of similar tip-proof coffee cups can be stacked on top of one-another with the lower part of each cup, except a lowest cup, extending into the cup body of a cup below it.
9. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 wherein each of said legs is wider at its distal end than at its proximal end.
10. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 1 wherein each of said legs is adapted to be used as a handle.
11. A tip-proof coffee cup comprising:
- a cup body having a lower part, an upper part and a bottom, the upper part being of greater diameter than the lower part;
- three external legs extending outward and downward from a region near the upper part of said cup body, the legs extending downward to a point equal to or below the bottom of the cup body;
- wherein said cup body has a drinking lip, and each of the legs curves downward away from the upper part of said cup body such that its distil end encounters a resting surface at approximately right angles and its proximal end merges into said cup body at an acute angle below said drinking lip;
- and wherein a region of said cup body approaching said drinking lip curves inward so that the drinking lip has a diameter smaller than the upper part of said cup body yet larger than the lower part of said cup body.
12. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 11 wherein each of the legs has a cross-section that is curved concave outward away from said cup body.
13. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 11 configured so that a plurality of similar tip-proof coffee cups can be stacked on top of one-another with the lower part of each cup, except a lowest cup, extending into the cup body of a cup below it.
14. The tip-proof coffee cup of claim 11 wherein each of said legs is wider at its distal end than at its proximal end.
15. A cup adapted to hold liquids comprising a cup body with at least three equally-spaced legs protruding outward and downward from said cup body to a point below said cup body, whereby said cup body is resistant to tipping over.
16. The cup of claim 15 wherein said legs have a curved cross-section.
17. The cup of claim 15 further comprising a drinking lip of smaller diameter than said cup body's upper part, wherein said drinking lip curves inward.
18. The cup of claim 15 wherein said legs curve downward from said cup body to meet a resting surface at approximately a right angle.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 27, 2013
Publication Date: Jul 31, 2014
Inventors: Lily Ann Born (Skokie, IL), Joseph Born (Lincolnwood, IL)
Application Number: 14/039,530
International Classification: B65D 25/24 (20060101);