Cup assembly with Integrated Bottle Cap

Abstract

A bottle assembly includes a bottle that has a liquid container, a neck portion that extends from the liquid container and a mouth that is adapted to dispense liquid, and a cup assembly having a cylinder that has an open top end, a closed bottom end and a cylindrical wall, and a cap that is integrally provided at the closed bottom end. The cap has an engaging portion that is adapted to engage with the mouth of the bottle. The cylindrical wall of the cup assembly is tapered. The bottom end is substantially thicker than the cylindrical wall. The bottom end has a hollow portion that surrounds the cap. The engaging portion has a female threaded portion that is adapted to engage with a male threaded portion of the mouth of the bottle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cup assembly that is used with a water bottle or a beverage bottle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disposable cup assembly with an integrated bottle cap.

Disposable bottles are widely used for containing water or beverages. Such bottles are usually consumed by themselves without the aid of a cup. While many people prefer drinking water or beverages with a cup rather than a bottle, disposable bottles are not sold with cups due to manufacturing and packing cost increase.

There has long been a need for convenient and cost effective solution for disposable water or beverage containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.

An objective of the invention is to provide a disposable cup that has an integrated bottle cap. Another objective of the invention is to provide a disposable cup and bottle that are assembled as an integral commercial product.

In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a bottle assembly comprising a bottle that has a liquid container, a neck portion that extends from the liquid container and a mouth that is adapted to dispense liquid; and a cup assembly comprising a cylinder that comprises an open top end, a closed bottom end and a cylindrical wall, and a cap that is integrally provided at the closed bottom end. The cap comprises an engaging portion that is adapted to engage with the mouth of the bottle.

The cylindrical wall of the cup assembly is tapered. The bottom end is substantially thicker than the cylindrical wall. The bottom end comprises a hollow portion that surrounds the cap.

The engaging portion comprises a female threaded portion that is adapted to engage with a male threaded portion of the mouth of the bottle.

The cylindrical wall of the cup assembly comprises an annular projection that contacts the neck portion of the bottle. Alternatively, the neck portion of the bottle comprises an annular projection that contacts the cylindrical wall of the cup assembly.

The bottle assembly further comprises a tape that seals a portion of the bottom end of the cup assembly and a portion of the liquid container that is adjacent the bottom end.

The present invention also provides a cup assembly that is provided separately from a bottle.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) an integrated disposable cup is provided at a minimal manufacturing cost increase; (2) the cup provides additional strength on the upper part of a bottle; and (3) the cup avoids the inconvenience of drinking water or beverages directly from a bottle.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disposable cup according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bottle that engages with the cup;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the cup and the bottle assembled together;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing that the cup has an annular projection for sealing; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing that a neck portion of the bottle has an annular projection for sealing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 3 shows a bottle assembly 10 that includes a bottle 12 that has a liquid container 14, a neck portion 16 that extends from the liquid container 14 and a mouth 18 that is adapted to dispense liquid; and a cup assembly 20 comprising a cylinder 22 that comprises an open top end 24, a closed bottom end 26 and a cylindrical wall 28, and a cap 30 that is integrally provided at the closed bottom end 26. The cap 30 comprises an engaging portion 32 that is adapted to engage with the mouth 18 of the bottle 12.

The bottle 12 and the cup assembly 20 are made of clear plastic.

The cylindrical wall 28 of the cup assembly 20 is slightly tapered. The bottom end 26 is substantially thicker than the cylindrical wall 28. The bottom end 26 comprises a hollow portion 34 that surrounds the cap 30.

The engaging portion 32 comprises a female threaded portion 36 that is adapted to engage with a male threaded portion 38 of the mouth 18 of the bottle 12 (refer to FIGS. 1 and 2).

Referring to FIG. 4, the cylindrical wall 28 of the cup assembly 20 comprises an annular projection 40 that contacts the neck portion 16 of the bottle 12.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 5, the neck portion 16 of the bottle 12 comprises an annular projection 42 that contacts the cylindrical wall 28 of the cup assembly 20. In this way, tight fit seal is provided between the cup assembly 20 and the bottle 12.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the bottle assembly 10 further comprises a tape 44 that seals a portion of the bottom end 26 of the cup assembly 20 and a portion of the liquid container 14 that is adjacent the bottom end 26. The tape 44 facilitates keeping sanitized state of the bottle and the cup.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cup assembly 20 may be is provided separately from the bottle 12.

Claims

1. A cup assembly comprising:

a) a cylinder that has an open top end, a closed bottom end and a cylindrical wall; and

b) a cap that is integrally provided at the closed bottom end;

wherein the cap comprises an engaging portion that is adapted to engage with a mouth of a bottle.

2. The cup assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical wall is tapered.

3. The cup assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom end is substantially thicker than the cylindrical wall.

4. The cup assembly of claim 3, wherein the bottom end comprises a hollow portion that surrounds the cap.

5. The cup assembly of claim 1, wherein the engaging portion comprises a female threaded portion that is adapted to engage with a male threaded portion of a mouth of a bottle.

6. A bottle assembly comprising:

a) a bottle comprising a liquid container, a neck portion that extends from the liquid container and a mouth that is adapted to dispense liquid; and

b) a cup assembly comprising a cylinder that comprises an open top end, a closed bottom end and a cylindrical wall, and a cap that is integrally provided at the closed bottom end;

wherein the cap comprises an engaging portion that is adapted to engage with the mouth of the bottle.

7. The bottle assembly of claim 6, wherein the cylindrical wall of the cup assembly is tapered.

8. The bottle assembly of claim 6, wherein the bottom end is substantially thicker than the cylindrical wall.

9. The bottle assembly of claim 8, wherein the bottom end comprises a hollow portion that surrounds the cap.

10. The bottle assembly of claim 6, wherein the engaging portion comprises a female threaded portion that is adapted to engage with a male threaded portion of the mouth of the bottle.

11. The bottle assembly of claim 6, wherein the cylindrical wall of the cup assembly comprises an annular projection that contacts the neck portion of the bottle.

12. The bottle assembly of claim 6, wherein the neck portion of the bottle comprises an annular projection that contacts the cylindrical wall of the cup assembly.

13. The bottle assembly of claim 6, further comprising a tape that seals a portion of the bottom end of the cup assembly and a portion of the liquid container that is adjacent the bottom end.