CUPCAKE HOLDER

Abstract

The cupcake holder is a single molded plastic device that has a cup shape at the top and a shaft shaped base that extending down from the cup. A single cupcake can be inserted into the cup for holding the cupcake in an upright position. The shaft of the cupcake holder can be inserted into Styrofoam or like materials to display the cupcake in an upright position. The cupcake holder can be used by itself or with multiple cupcake holders to make a display or arrangement for sale or marketing purposes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For the commercial sale and marketing of gourmet, decorated, or traditional cupcakes, there are limited ways to present them for display and merchandising. It is important to see the top surface of the cupcake. Especially if it is a decorated cupcake. Seeing the top surface of many types of cupcakes is also relevant for visually identifying ingredients and for its visual appeal to a persons' apatite. Seeing the top of the cupcake is also important in the selling and merchandising of any cupcake that is not recognized by a trade name.

For the sale and marketing of gourmet, decorative, traditional, or commercially-made cupcakes, there are limited methods of displaying them individually, in an arrangement, or on display that show the top of the cupcake.

An existing method is to place them on a tiered holder. There are many tiered or pre-set format holders or stands. These stands provide either pre-determined quantities of individual cupcake holders or multi-layer “selves” to place cupcakes on.

These methods limit the ability to sell cupcakes in specific quantities or integrate cupcakes with other edible items in a display or arrangement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cupcake holder is a single molded plastic device that has a cup shape at the top and a shaft shaped base that extending down from the cup. The walls of the cup shape are four flaps. This design provides an open top of the cup shape, in which a cupcake can be inserted, for holding a cupcake in an upright position.

The cupcake holder is designed to hold any type of traditional cupcake, regardless of ingredients, in an upright position, that allows the top surface of the cupcake to be viewed. The cupcake holder is designed to hold a single cupcake, by placing the lower portion of the cupcake within the base of the cup, in between the four flaps of the cup.

The cupcake holder provides a method of displaying any single cupcake by itself, or when multiple cupcake holders are used together in upright positions, they can be used to make an arrangement or display. This method would allow the observation of the cupcakes top surfaces, to view decorated surface(s) or ingredient(s) of the cupcakes.

The cupcake holder expands the ability to market and sell any type of cupcake individually, in arrangements, and gift displays.

Cupcakes are usually made in a baking cup or liner. The cupcake holder can also be used to hold any other ingredients that can be put into a baking cup, in which cupcakes are made, such as muffins, corn bread, or edible treats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cupcake holder with broken line of a cupcake to show usage;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a left elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a right elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective close up view of the notches on the back side of the shaft of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is an example of a perspective view of multiple cupcake holders used in arrangement thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The cupcake holder is a single molded piece of plastic that has a cup shape at the top and a shaft extending down from the cup. The cupcake holder will be made in an injected mold process. The plastic used is a “food-safe” plastic. The cupcake holder can be made in a variety of colored plastics. The variety of colors will allow coordinating the colored cupcake holder(s) for use with various holidays, themed events, and occasions. In example: Orange and/or Black for Halloween. Red, White, and Blue for the 4^th of July.

The cupcake holder is made in three different sizes. The three sizes accommodate most cupcake sizes. There is a cupcake holder for mini-size cupcakes, a cupcake holder for regular-size cupcakes, and a cupcake holder for jumbo-size cupcakes.

The mini-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has rounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design. The cup section of the mini-size cupcake holder is 1.5 inches across in width at the top. The inside base of the cup is 1.00 inch across. The four oval shaped flap sections that make the walls of the cup are 0.5 inch high. The flaps are 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.

The shaft part of the mini-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 11 inches long. It is square in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of the mini-size cupcake holder. The top section of the shaft closest to the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape at the bottom.

The regular-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has rounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design. The cup section of the regular-size cupcake holder is 2.75 inches across in width at the top. The inside base of the cup is 2 inches across. The four oval shaped flap sections that make the walls of the cup are 0.75 inch high. The flaps are 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.

The shaft part of the regular-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 11 inches long. It is square in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of the regular-size cupcake holder. The top section of the shaft closest to the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape at the bottom.

The jumbo-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has rounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design. The cup section of the jumbo-size cupcake holder is 3.00 inches across in width at the top. The inside base of the cup is 2.25 inches across. The four oval shaped flap sections that make the walls of the cup are 1.25 inch high. The flaps are 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.

The shaft part of the jumbo-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 10.75 inches long. It is square in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of the jumbo-size cupcake holder. The top section of the shaft closest to the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape at the bottom.

The shaft of the cupcake holders can be cut to various lengths for providing different heights in an arrangement or display. The back side of the shaft has horizontal notches on the flat surface spaced every 1 inch from the top of the shaft to the bottom of the shaft. These notches are 0.03125 deep into back surface of the shaft. These are used as guides for cutting the shaft.

For use of the cupcake holder, take a single cupcake, and insert the cupcake into the top open cup area of the cupcake holder, between the four flaps. Press the cupcake down into the cupcake holder until it reaches the bottom of the cup area.

The cupcake holder's shaft portion can be inserted into materials to hold it in place in an upright position. In example, the shaft can be inserted into Styrofoam. The square edges of the shaft prevent the cupcake holder from rotating or twisting when inserted into firm materials. The cupcake holder can be used with other cupcake holders to make an arrangement or display.

Example to make a cupcake arrangement. A bowl, pot, or basket, can used as a base container. A piece of Styrofoam can be placed in the container. The shafts of the cupcake holders can be inserted into the Styrofoam in an upright arrangement. Cupcakes can then be inserted into the cupcake holders. Food-safe tissue or other decorative materials can be added around the base of the cupcake holders shafts for a decorative effect.

Claims

1. The cupcake holder is a device comprising of a single molded piece of plastic that has a cup shape at the top and a shaft extending down from the cup.

2. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein will be made in an injected mold process.

3. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein the plastic used is a “food-safe” plastic.

4. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein The cupcake holder can be made in a variety of colored plastics.

5. The cupcake holder of claim 4, wherein the variety of colors will allow coordinating the colored cupcake holder(s) for use with various holidays, themed events, and occasions.

6. The cupcake holder of claim 5, wherein example: Orange and/or Black for Halloween. Red, White, and Blue for the 4th of July.

7. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein the cupcake holder is made in three different sizes.

8. The cupcake holder of claim 7, wherein the three sizes accommodate most cupcake sizes.

9. The cupcake holder of claim 7, wherein there is a cupcake holder for mini-size cupcakes.

10. The cupcake holder of claim 7, wherein there is a cupcake holder for regular-size cupcakes.

11. The cupcake holder of claim 7, wherein there is a cupcake holder for jumbo-size cupcakes.

12. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the mini-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has rounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design.

13. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the cup section of the mini-size cupcake holder is 1.5 inches across in width at the top.

14. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the inside base of the cup is 1.00 inch across.

15. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the four oval shaped flap sections that make the walls of the cup are 0.5 inch high.

16. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the flaps are 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.

17. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the shaft part of the mini-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 11 inches long.

18. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the shaft is square in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of the mini-size cupcake holder.

19. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the top section of the shaft closest to the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape at the bottom.

20. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the regular-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has rounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design.

21. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the cup section of the regular-size cupcake holder is 2.75 inches across in width at the top.

22. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the inside base of the cup is 2 inches across.

23. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the four oval shaped flap sections that make the walls of the cup are 0.75 inch high.

24. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the flaps are 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.

25. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the shaft part of the regular-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 11 inches long.

26. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the shaft is square in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of the regular-size cupcake holder.

27. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the top section of the shaft closest to the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape at the bottom.

28. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the jumbo-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has rounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design.

29. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the cup section of the jumbo-size cupcake holder is 3.00 inches across in width at the top.

30. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the inside base of the cup is 2.25 inches across.

31. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the four oval shaped flap sections that make the walls of the cup are 1.25 inch high.

32. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the flaps are 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.

33. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the shaft part of the jumbo-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 10.75 inches long.

34. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the shaft is square in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of the jumbo-size cupcake holder.

35. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the top section of the shaft closest to the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape at the bottom.

36. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein the shaft of the cupcake holders can be cut to various lengths for providing different heights in an arrangement or display.

37. The cupcake holder of claim 36, wherein the back side of the shaft has horizontal notches on the flat surface spaced every 1 inch from the top of the shaft to the bottom of the shaft.

38. The cupcake holder of claim 37, wherein these notches are 0.03125 deep into back surface of the shaft.

39. The cupcake holder of claim 37, wherein these are used as guides for cutting the shaft.

40. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein for use of the cupcake holder, take a single cupcake, and insert the cupcake into the top open cup area of the cupcake holder, between the four flaps.

41. The cupcake holder of claim 40, wherein press the cupcake down into the cupcake holder until it reaches the bottom of the cup area.

42. The cupcake holder of claim 40, wherein the cupcake holders shaft portion can be inserted into materials to hold it in place in an upright position.

43. The cupcake holder of claim 42, wherein example, the shaft can be inserted into Styrofoam.

44. The cupcake holder of claim 42, wherein the square edges of the shaft prevent the cupcake holder from rotating or twisting when inserted into firm materials.

45. The cupcake holder of claim 40, wherein the cupcake holder can be used with other cupcake holders to make an arrangement or display.

46. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein example to make a cupcake arrangement.

47. The cupcake holder of claim 46, wherein a bowl, pot, or basket, can used as a base container. A piece of Styrofoam can be placed in the container.

48. The cupcake holder of claim 46, wherein the shafts of the cupcake holders can be inserted into the Styrofoam in an upright arrangement.

49. The cupcake holder of claim 46, wherein cupcakes can then be inserted into the cupcake holders.

50. The cupcake holder of claim 46, wherein food-safe tissue or other decorative materials can be added around the base of the cupcake holders shafts for a decorative effect.