Hot drink cup sleeve

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a hot cup sleeve with an adhesive section on the inside of the hot cup sleeve. A detachable tab covers the adhesive section until it is desirable for the adhesive section to couple to the hot cup. The adhesive section is about the size of a thumbprint, and the adhesive section should large enough to cover the adhesive section completely, but should not extend excessively beyond the edge of the adhesive section. The detachable tab extends above the hot cup sleeve.

Description

FIELD

This document relates to a cup sleeves, and more specifically to disposable sleeves for disposable cups carrying hot drinks.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

None

BACKGROUND

In the past, coffee drinkers and drinkers of other hot drinks primarily used cups made from Styrofoam to insulate their hands from the hot fluid inside the cup. However, due to the environmental concerns of Styrofoam, coffee vendors and other vendors typically use paper and or recycled materials that do not insulate against heat adequately, but are generally thought to be preferred by consumers as they are perceived to be more environmentally friendly. To offset the heat that passes through these cups, vendors typically provide cup sleeves that allow users to hold their cups with discomfort from the heat of the drink.

While hot cup sleeves are adequate for protecting hands and while they work well as long as the drinker is holding the cup, the sleeve often slides off the cup the moment the drinker sets the cup down. This can cause the drinker to fumble the drink or the loose sleeve can become entangled with other things, such as a cup holder.

A need exists to make hot cup sleeves attach to hot cups.

SUMMARY

An improved hot cup sleeve is disclosed here that attaches to hot cups to prevent the hot cup sleeve from sliding off hot cups.

In the preferred embodiment, an adhesive section is present on the inside of the hot cup sleeve. A detachable tab covers the adhesive section until it is desirable for the adhesive section to couple to the hot cup. The adhesive section is about the size of a thumbprint, and the adhesive section is large enough to cover the adhesive section completely, but should not extend excessively beyond the edge of the adhesive section. The detachable tab extends above the hot cup sleeve. In the preferred embodiment, the detachable tab is the source of the adhesive which is applied onto the hot cup sleeve before the cup sleeve is rolled into a sleeve.

In other embodiments of the invention, the adhesive section can be accomplished in other ways. In one embodiment, the adhesive section is double sided tape that may be attached to the inside of the hot cup sleeve. A detachable tab is placed over the double sided tape to cover the double sided tape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an elongated strip that can be formed into a cup sleeve by connecting each end.

FIG. 2 shows the hot cup sleeve on a hot cup with adhesive engaged to the cup and sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The following detailed description of the invention references the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the current invention. The following detailed description and the associated drawings are, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the current invention is defined only by the claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In FIG. 1, an elongated strip 100 is shown that is substantially in the shape of an inverted isosceles trapezoid, with angled ends 104 and 103, wherein the trapezoid is inverted because it has a long top and a short bottom. The elongated strip has an outer surface 109 that is the backside of the elongated strip 100 and an inner surface 108 that is the frontside of the elongated strip 100. On the inner surface 108 is an adhesive section 101. The adhesive section is covered by a detachable tab 102. The detachable tab 102 extends beyond the elongated strip 100 so that it can be accessed easily, and the tab is disposable. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom is curved in a concave manner. This elongated strip is substantially an isosceles trapezoid.

The detachable tab 102 can be removed to expose the adhesive section 101. The detachable tab 102 prevents the adhesive section 101 from adhering to a surface that is not desired. Generally, the desired surface for attaching is the hot cup.

The elongated strip 100 is generally made of an insulating material and recyclable materials are preferred. This includes fiber materials such as paper. Corrugated channels allow for air pockets to provide added insulation to the material.

In the preferred embodiment, the detachable tab 102 holds the adhesive 101. In manufacture, the detachable tab 102 with adhesive 101 is placed onto the elongated strip 100. When the detachable tab 102 is removed (which would occur when, referring to FIG. 2, the elongated strip 100 is formed into a cup sleeve 200 and is placed around a hot cup 201) the adhesive remains on the elongated strip 100.

The elongated strip 100 can be wrapped around so that the end 104 is in contact with the end 103. An adhesive section 107 is shown on one end 103, and this adhesive section is a means to couple the ends 103 and 104 together so that the elongated strip forms a sleeve 200 shown in FIG. 2 that is capable of encircling a cup, as. In FIG. 1, the angled ends 103 and 104 allow for simple coupling and a tapered fit to the cup. In other embodiments, the ends 104 and 103 can be coupled together with tape, staples, or creases.

In FIG. 2, a hot cup sleeve 200 encircles a hot cup and is attached to a hot cup 201. The sleeve 200 is attached to the cup 201 at the adhesive 101, which is shown dotted since it is on the inside of the sleeve. On the outer surface of the sleeve, there is an area for an indicating mark 202. The indicating mark 202 directs the person holding the cup to remove the detachable tab 102 (shown removed from the cup) or it can be used to indicate where the outer surface of the sleeve should be pressed so that the adhesive 101 makes contact with the cup 201.

In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive 101 will adhere more strongly to the elongated strip 100 than the detachable tab 102. The adhesive 101 is self seal adhesive and in the preferred embodiment, an acrylic based adhesive and the detachable tab 102 and adhesive 101 are applied to the elongated strip 100 with firm pressure. The firm pressure imparts the adhesive onto the elongated strip 100. The elongated strip is made from materials commonly used for hot cup sleeves. The elongated strip 100 will then adhere to a cup 201 when encircling a cup and after the detachable tab 102 is removed.

Claims

1. A cup sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface comprising

an adhesive on the inner surface of the sleeve capable of sticking to a cup

wherein the adhesive is covered by a detachable tab.

2. The cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein the sleeve consists of an elongated strip that is substantially in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid further comprising two angled ends and a short bottom and a long top.

3. The cup sleeve of claim 2, wherein the elongated strip has an adhesive section on one of the two angled ends of the strip.

4. The cup sleeve of claim 1, wherein the outside of the sleeve has an indicating mark on the opposite side of the sleeve from the adhesive section.

5. The cup sleeve of 1, wherein the detachable tab is disposable.

6. The cup sleeve of 1, wherein the adhesive is of a material that adheres more strongly to the sleeve than the detachable tab.

7. The cup sleeve of claim 3, wherein the elongated strip substantially in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid has a concave short bottom.

8. A method of using a cup sleeve comprising the steps of

Placing the cup sleeve around a cup, wherein the cup sleeve has an inner surface and an outer surface

Removing a detachable tab covering an adhesive on the inner surface of the cup sleeve

Applying pressure to the outer surface of the cup sleeve on the opposite side of the adhesive section.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of forming the cup sleeve by wrapping an elongated strip having two ends so that one end is coupled to the opposite end.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the pressure applied to the outer surface of the cup sleeve is applied on an indicating mark on the outer surface of the cup sleeve.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the detachable tab is detached after the cup sleeve has been placed around the cup.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the detachable tab extends above the cup sleeve before it is detached.

13. A hot drink cup sleeve comprising

a tape with an adhesive at least partially covering one side of the tape, wherein the tape is coupled to an inner surface of an elongated strip, and wherein the elongated strip has two ends and a top and a bottom, and wherein the two ends are coupled together to form a sleeve

14. The hot drink cup sleeve of claim 13, wherein the elongated strip is comprised of corrugated paper.

15. The hot drink cup sleeve of claim 13, wherein the bottom of the elongated strip is concave.

16. The hot drink cup sleeve of claim 13, wherein the adhesive adheres more strongly to the hot drink cup sleeve than the detachable tab.

17. The hot drink cup sleeve of claim 13, wherein the elongated strip is substantially in the shape of an inverted isosceles trapezoid wrapped into a sleeve, wherein the bottom of the inverted isosceles trapezoid is concave.

18. The hot drink cup sleeve of claim 13, wherein an indicating mark is on the outer surface of the elongated strip covering the adhesive.

19. The hot drink cup sleeve of claim 13, wherein the adhesive tape extends beyond the top of the elongated strip.

20. The hot drink cup sleeve of claim 13, wherein the hot drink cup sleeve is disposable.