Insulated cup holder
A cup holder for a conventional beverage cup that has a generally inverted frusto-conical side wail and an upper access opening surrounded by a radially outwardly extending peripheral bead adapted to be connected to a disposable lid by a snap fit within a downwardly and radially outwardly depending peripheral skirt on the lid. The insulated cup holder includes a double walled insulating vessel including an inner liner and an outer liner spaced therefrom to define an insulating space and snugly receives a conventional cup so as to insulate the contents of the cup to assist in maintaining its temperature at a desired level.
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This invention relates to cup holders, and more specifically, to insulated cup holders for disposable beverage cups.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONRecent years have seen an explosion in the use of so-called travel mugs. A typical travel mug is a vessel that includes an inner shell and an outer shell which are spaced from one another by a vacuum or insulating space. A removable lid is secured on the resulting assembly and typically is provided with a sip opening as well as a vent opening. A beverage may be introduced into the travel mug where its temperature, whether hot or cold, is maintained by the insulating qualities of the mug. A beverage may be consumed by extracting the same through the sip hole. Mugs of this sort are commonly used in vehicles as well as by pedestrians moving from one location to another.
At the same time, there has likewise been an explosion in the over-thecounter vending of beverages of various sorts, specialty coffees being one obvious example. Not infrequently, these beverages are sold in disposable plastic or paper cups that are fitted with lids. The lids conventionally have a sip opening and/or an opening through which a conventional straw may be introduced into the interior of the cup. Unfortunately, the nature of many disposable cups is such that they are incapable of maintaining the temperature of the beverage contained therein at a desired temperature in a manner even approaching that of, for example, travel mugs.
Unfortunately, many vendors of heated or chilled beverages are unwilling to dispense their product into one's personal travel mug, preferring instead to use only disposable cups provided with disposable lids. As a consequence, customers purchasing from such vendors must either pour the contents of a disposable cup into their own personal travel mug or forego the desirable, temperature-retaining characteristics of such mugs.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is a principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved insulated holder for a beverage cup. More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an insulated holder for a disposable beverage cup.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves the foregoing object in an insulating cup holder in combination with a disposable beverage container. The disposable beverage container typically has a generally inverted frustoconical side wall and an upper access openings surrounded by a radially, outwardly extending peripheral bead adapted to be connected to a disposable container lid by a snap fit within a downwardly and radially outwardly depending peripheral skirt on the lid. The container, of course, has a bottom, and a double walled insulating vessel is provided which includes an inner lining have a frusto-conical inner surface with a bottom and an upper access opening with a circular edge and shaped to matingly receive the disposable beverage container with the container side wall abutting the surface of the liner about substantially its entire extent. The container is sized so that a radially outer part of the bead is uncovered to be received and snap fitted within the skirt of a disposable lid. An outer body surrounds, in spaced relation, the inner liner. The inner liner and the outer body are sealingly attached to one another thereby defining a vacuum or insulating space between the inner liner and the outer body with the outer body being in non-interfering relation to the placement of a lid on the bead of the container.
In a preferred embodiment, the inner liner is also provided with an axially directed edge surrounding the upper access opening so that the axially extending edge will abut the underside of the bead of the disposable cup while leaving a radially outer part of the bead uncovered to be received and snap fitted within the skirt of a disposable lid. The outer body is sealingly attached to the inner liner just below the axially directed edge thereby defining a vacuum or insulating space between the inner liner and the outer liner as mentioned and without interfering with the placement of the lid on a container within the beverage holder.
Preferably, the axially directed edge is adapted to underlie the skirt of the lid in non-contacting relation.
In one embodiment, the inner liner and the outer body are formed of a metal.
In another embodiment, the inner liner and the outer body are formed of plastic.
One embodiment contemplates that the inner liner include a radially outwardly directed flange located just below the axially extending edge and the bead and that the outer body is sealed to the flange.
A preferred embodiment includes a grip on the outer body located near the top thereof.
In one embodiment of the invention, the container may be suspended within the inner liner by the abutment of the bead and the axially extending flange.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
Also illustrated in
According to the invention, an insulating cup holder, generally designated 30, is provided. The cup holder 30 is made up of an inner liner 32 surrounded by an outer body or shell 34. The outer body 34 is spaced from the inner liner 32 so as to define an insulating space 36. The insulating space 36 may be filled with an insulating material, may constitute a so-called “dead air” space, or may be evacuated to define a vacuum space as desired.
In the embodiment illustrated in
The axially extending flange 42 defines a circular, access opening by which the cup 10 may be inserted into the cup holder 30. The width of the flange 42, as illustrated in
The outer body 34 has a bottom 46, a generally inverted frusto conical side wall 48, and a top, axially extending edge 50.
Returning to the inner liner 32, at a location near its top, and just below the axially extending edge 42, a radially extending, outwardly directed, peripheral flange 52 is located. The flange 52 is such as to just overlie the axially extending edge 50 of the outer body; and at this location, the flange 52 and the upper edge 50 of the outer body 30 are abutted and sealed together to isolate the insulation containing space 36.
It will be observed from
In the embodiment illustrated in
A second difference between the embodiments of
According to the embodiment of
It should be recognized that if desired, the inner liner 32 of either of the embodiments illustrated in
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a cup holder for a conventional beverage cup is provided that will provide insulating qualities to a conventional cup 10 when assembled thereto so as to maintain the temperature of the beverage within the cup at a desired level. It will also be appreciated that the beverage holder is such that a conventional lid 20 may be applied to the cup 10 without interference when the cup 10 is within the holder 30 or may be removed from the cup 10 if desired. Furthermore, if the lid 20 is applied to the cup 10 prior to insertion of the latter into the holder 30, the holder 30 does not engage the lid and dislodge or partially dislodge the same from the cup 10.
Claims
1. In combination with a disposable beverage container having a generally inverted frusto-conical side wall and an upper access opening surrounded by a radially outwardly extending peripheral bead adapted to be connected to a disposable container lid by a snap fit within a downwardly and radially outwardly depending peripheral skirt on the lid, a double walled insulating vessel including an inner liner having a frusto-conical inner surface with an upper access opening surrounded by an axially directed edge and shaped to matingly receive said container with said side wall abutting said surface about substantially its entire extent and with said edge abutted against an underside of said bead while leaving a radially outer part of said bead uncovered to be received and snap fitted within the skirt of a disposable lid, and an outer body surrounding, in spaced relation, said inner liner, said inner liner and said outer body being sealingly attached to one another just below said axially directed edge thereby defining an insulating space between said inner liner and said outer body with said outer body being in non-interfering relation to the placement of a lid on the bead of the container.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said axially directed edge is adapted to underlie said skirt in non-contacting relation.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said inner liner and said outer body are formed of metal.
4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said inner liner and said outer body are formed of plastic.
5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said inner liner includes a radially outwardly directed flange located just below said axially extending edge and said bead and said outer body is sealed to said flange.
6. The combination of claim 1 further including a grip on said outer body located near the top thereof.
7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said container is suspended within said inner liner by the abutment of said bead and said axially extending edge.
8. An insulating cup holder comprising:
- an inner liner having a tapered side wall terminating in a circular access opening at a top thereof adapted to receive a cup;
- a generally axially directed edge extending around the periphery of said access opening and adapted to engage a bead on a cup inwardly of a radially outer part thereof; and
- an outer body surrounding said inner liner in spaced relation thereto to define an insulating space therebetween;
- said outer body terminating an axially directed circular edge engaging and sealed to said inner liner below the axially directed edge of said inner liner so that the upper extent of said cup holder is defined entirely by said axially directed edge of said inner liner.
9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said inner liner and said outer body are formed of metal.
10. The combination of claim 8 wherein said inner liner and said outer body are formed of plastic.
11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said inner liner includes a radially outwardly directed flange located just below said axially extending edge and said outer body is sealed to said flange.
12. The combination of claim 8 further including a grip on said outer body located near the top thereof.
13. The combination of claim 8 further including a cup suspended within said inner liner by the abutment of a bead on said cup and said axially extending edge.
14. In combination with a disposable beverage container having a generally inverted frusto-conical side wall and an upper access opening surrounded by a radially outwardly extending peripheral bead adapted to be connected to a disposable container lid by a snap fit within a downwardly and radially outwardly depending peripheral skirt on the lid, a bottom on said container, a double walled insulating vessel including an inner liner having a frusto-conical inner surface with a bottom and an upper access opening with a circular edge and shaped to matingly receive said container with said side wall abutting said surface about substantially its entire extent and with said bottom abutted against the bottom of said container while leaving a radially outer part of said bead uncovered to be received and snap fitted within the skirt of a disposable lid, and an outer body surrounding, in spaced relation, said inner liner, said inner liner and said outer body being sealingly attached to one another thereby defining an insulating space between said inner liner and said outer body with said outer body being in noninterfering relation to the placement of a lid on the bead of the container.
15. The combination of claim 1 further including a grip on said outer body located near the top thereof.
16. In combination with a disposable beverage container having a generally inverted frusto-conical side wall and an upper access opening surrounded by a radially outwardly extending peripheral bead adapted to be connected with a disposable container lid by a snap fit within a downwardly and radially outwardly depending peripheral skirt on the lid, a double walled insulating vessel including an inner liner having a frusto-conical inner surface with an upper, beverage container receiving opening and shaped to matingly receive said beverage container with said side wall substantially abutting said inner surface about substantially its entire extent, and an outer body surrounding, in spaced relation, said inner liner and having an upper inner liner receiving opening, said inner liner and said outer body being sealingly attached to one another at a location closely adjacent said upper beverage container receiving opening and said upper inner liner receiving opening, said double walled insulating vessel including an axially directed edge closely adjacent said location and abutting an underside of said bead while leaving a radially outer part of said bead uncovered to be received and snap fitted within the skirt of a disposable lid, said inner liner and said outer body defining a insulating space with said outer body being in noninterfering relation to the placement of a lid on the bead of the container.
17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said axially directed edge is defined by an upper edge of said inner liner.
18. The combination of claim 16 further including a grip closely adjacent said location.
19. In combination with a disposable beverage container having a generally inverted frusto-conical side wall and an upper access opening surrounded by a radially outwardly extending peripheral bead adapted to be connected to a disposable container lid by a snap fit within a downwardly and radially outwardly depending peripheral skirt on the lid, a bottom on said container, a double walled insulating vessel including an inner liner having a frusto-conical inner surface with a bottom and an upper access opening shaped to matingly receive said container with said side wall abutting said surface about substantially its entire extent while leaving a radially outer part of said bead uncovered to be received and snap fitted within the skirt of a disposable lid, and an outer body surrounding, in spaced relation, said inner liner, said inner liner and said outer body being sealingly attached to one another thereby defining an insulating space between said inner liner and said outer body with said outer body being in noninterfering relation to the placement of a lid on the bead of the container, wherein said container is suspended within said inner liner by abutment of said bead with an upper, circular edge of said vessel.
Type: Grant
Filed: Jan 16, 2003
Date of Patent: Jun 7, 2011
Assignee: Thermos L.L.C. (Rolling Meadows, IL)
Inventors: Shouji Toida (Schaumburg, IL), Yasuhiro Murakami (Roselle, IL), John Bergeron (Barrington, IL)
Primary Examiner: Stephen Castellano
Attorney: Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer
Application Number: 10/345,595
International Classification: B65D 25/20 (20060101);