HK1121655B - Beverage vessel - Google Patents

Description

Beverage cup

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a ceramic ware which can be used in catering, more particularly in transport diets.

Background

Cups and drinking cups are provided in the prior art consisting of a wall in gas-tight alignment with a bottom and a handle on the outer surface of the wall (promotional advertisement for bouillon block concentrate Maggi Hot Cup 2004). The prior art suffers from the disadvantage that they can stain the table or surrounding objects when handled inadvertently. When pouring a beverage or stirring a beverage with a spoon, the beverage may spill over, run down the outer wall and contaminate surrounding objects in the case of adding sugar or shaking the drinking cup. To prevent staining, the cup is used with a saucer to collect the liquid. However, when the cup is lifted from the saucer, a small amount of beverage remains on the bottom of the cup. The beverage can form droplets and stain surrounding objects, such as clothing. To prevent this, the saucer is usually held under the cup. This operation requires two arms and requires care. When one person is working, and needs to drink during the telephone call and working with a computer, it is inconvenient to use the saucer (because both arms must be free).

The prior art includes a cup with an attachment for collecting droplets (US3,279,638). This attachment is made in such a way that the beverage overflowing the rim is introduced into the attachment and remains there regardless of how the cup is tilted. A disadvantage of the given construction is that such an attachment has a very complicated form, making it impossible to wash after use (washing the attachment with water and removing residues is difficult, and it is not possible to pour out a large amount of liquid with drinking residues remaining in the attachment after its washing). Another drawback of this solution is the large size and weight of the drinking cup, which negatively affects the ease of use and the aesthetic appearance of the cup.

The closest analog is a drip collection cup with a collection trough and reservoir (US5,975,333). According to the invention, the overflow enters the groove with an upper point and a lower point and is inclined between them. The lower point is connected to a reservoir, into which the droplets collected by the collecting gutter are transferred. The reservoir is triangular in shape, allowing the liquid to stay inside when the container is inverted. One of the disadvantages of this cup is the small angle of inclination of the collection trough, which does not provide a safe direction of liquid to the reservoir when the position of the mug is not vertical. Due to the small angle of inclination, the speed at which the liquid flows down the collecting channel is low, which increases the possibility of splashing and staining of the surrounding objects when the mug is inclined during drinking. The reservoir is too small in size and can only collect a small amount of liquid (low capacity). The reservoir is connected to the rear of the mug so that if the additional container is made larger, the mug will increase in size horizontally, take up more room on the table, and get an unusual ellipsoidal shape. Washing the reservoir is rather difficult and only possible when the drain hole is open. The drain hole and the special cap require additional manipulation, which is inconvenient and impractical. During use, the cap can be depressurized, while pressure losses will further make the use of the cup impossible. The shape and lateral position of the reservoir complicates the manufacturing process, as new techniques and equipment are mainly required. The additional element (sealing cap) increases the cost of the product.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to modernize a mug with a collecting trough and a reservoir/appendage by modifying the shape and position of the elements, so as to increase the speed of the liquid flow in the collecting trough, and to make it easier to wash the appendage, avoiding additional elements and manipulations, and achieving maximum compactness without reducing the dimensions of the appendage, thus increasing the efficiency of the mug, improving its ergonomics, comfort and practicality, and simplifying the manufacturing process.

To achieve the above object, the present invention may be embodied in the form of a beverage cup comprising: a main cup for containing a liquid; a reservoir for collecting overflow which flows down the outer surface of the wall of the beverage cup; a collection trough on an outer surface of the wall of the beverage cup for directing overflow downwardly into the reservoir; a handle, one end of which is connected to the wall of the main cup of the drinking cup and the other end of which is connected to the wall of the main cup or to the wall of the reservoir; wherein the reservoir is located below the main cup, the collecting trough having at least one lower point connected to at least one hole in the wall of the reservoir.

Such a trough has two upper points and two lower points, the trough having a greater angle of inclination, providing a higher velocity for the liquid to flow towards the reservoir. For this reason, when the cup is tilted during drinking, the spill does not stay in the collected liquid stream and cannot splash onto surrounding objects. Higher liquid flow velocities enable the use of reduced depth and width of the collection trough. The location of the reservoir below the main cup provides for improved compactness of the beverage cup-a body comprising two cavities, maintaining the general appearance and aesthetics of the cup, changing the size of the reservoir without changing the horizontal size (body diameter) of the cup. The body of the cup may be cylindrical (a body of revolution) enabling manufacture with moulds and standard equipment. The additional container can be easily washed with water using two opposite drain holes.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a general view-a rear elevation view, a longitudinal view;

fig. 2 is a general view-front view;

FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention with a bottom portion of a spherical main cup and an inclined drain hole;

FIG. 4 is a bottom of the reservoir;

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the present invention with a collection trough having an upper point (point) and a lower point and a drain hole in the reservoir;

FIG. 6 is an embodiment of the invention with a collection trough having two upper points and two lower points and a drain hole in the reservoir;

FIG. 7 is an embodiment of the invention with a collection trough and a main cup;

FIG. 8 is an embodiment of the present invention with an active attachment;

FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view, longitudinal, of an embodiment of the present invention with a collection trough and a main cup attachment;

FIG. 10 is an attachment as a separate element;

FIG. 11 is an attachment as a separate element with the handle;

FIGS. 12-17 are collection trough and drain hole designs;

FIGS. 18-21 are cross-sectional-longitudinal views of a collection trough;

FIG. 22 is the shape of the outer wall;

fig. 23 is a substrate (matrix) -top view, longitudinal view;

FIG. 24 is a longitudinal view of a substrate, method of formation;

FIG. 25 is a combined top view, longitudinal view, of the inner and outer wall shapes;

FIG. 26 is an embodiment of the present invention with a suction lumen;

FIG. 27 is an embodiment of the present invention with a suction chamber and an adhesive material.

Detailed Description

According to the invention (fig. 1, 2), the beverage cup with handle is supplemented with a drip-collecting receptacle 4, said drip-collecting receptacle 4 being located below the main cup 1 and being made like a double bottom. The bottom of the main cup may be both flat and spherical (fig. 3). The spherical bottom can be used to increase the diameter of the drain holes and place them higher without increasing the reservoir area and, therefore, without reducing the volume of the main cup. At the rear of the reservoir 4 there are one or two diametrically opposed drainage holes 3 (fig. 1, 2). In order to keep the reservoir free of insects, one or more of the drainage holes may be supplemented with a metal mesh or a polymer mesh. There may be embodiments where one or more drainage holes are replaced by one or more sets of drainage holes (fig. 15) comprising a minimum of 2-6 smaller drainage holes. In embodiments having diametrically opposed holes, the handle is positioned above one of the drain holes. In designs with one drain hole (fig. 5), the handle may be located above the drain hole or on diametrically opposite sides. The lower portion of the handle 5, which is attached to the wall of the drinking cup (lower base), can be located above (fig. 1) or below (fig. 3) the drain hole of the reservoir. An embodiment in which the lower handle base is located below the drain hole makes it possible to increase the size of the handle, which is possible, for example, in a mug.

The wall of the beverage cup is provided with a collecting gutter 2 (fig. 1, 2), said collecting gutter 2 being used to collect and transfer the overflow into one or more drain holes 3. In the embodiment with a drain hole (fig. 5), the collecting gutter has a lower point and an upper point connected to the drain hole. In the design with two drain holes (fig. 1, 2), the collecting gutter has two lower points and two upper points connected to the drain holes. It is also possible to have an embodiment with two drainage holes and a collecting gutter with one lower point and one upper point (fig. 6). The collecting gutter 2 with two upper points and two lower points can be designed like a closed (connected at the beginning and end) double wave form (sinusoidal), which embodiment is optimal because it is extremely efficient in collecting droplets. The upper point of the collecting trough can be placed at different heights in order to achieve the designer's desire (fig. 17). The collection trough may be serrated with pointed ends (upper and/or lower points) (fig. 13), while the discharge orifice of the reservoir may be triangular, diamond-shaped, square, rectangular in shape (fig. 13-14). If the ends of the collection trough are rounded, the shape of the drain holes may be circular, oval or semicircular (fig. 12, 16-17). The drainage holes or drainage holes of the reservoir (in the rear wall) may be made at right angles (fig. 1) or with a slope (fig. 3). The shape of the collection trough can vary: it may be straight, wavy, curved to different sides, curved upwards or downwards (fig. 13, 15-17). The collection trough may be helical (fig. 12). Each drain hole may have a separate collection trough, with a spiral or other shaped collection trough to facilitate liquid flow. Such collection troughs may extend laterally across or parallel. The collection trough or troughs may be made of at least two layered sections (which are separate elements, sloping like a stacked step, and facilitate the gradual flow of liquid into the drainage hole or holes, like a sloping roof) (fig. 14). The collecting gutter 2 may comprise two parts (fig. 7, 8) and have its ends connected to a drain hole with a main cup (fig. 7-9). In the embodiment with a removable reservoir 4 (fig. 8), the drain hole may be formed by the main cup itself (fig. 8, 9).

The cross-section of the collection trough may vary, for example, being flat with pointed petal-shaped edges (fig. 12-17), or being thick with rounded edges (fig. 20). The collecting gutter with a circular cross-section is better protected against chipping and damage associated with use. The collecting gutter may also form a difference in diameter/size between the upper (above the collecting gutter) and lower (below the collecting gutter) parts of the drinking cups (fig. 18-19). The collection trough can penetrate completely or partially into the wall (fig. 21). The walls of the drinking cup may be vertical or inclined, which provides for increasing or decreasing the size of the main opening relative to the bottom (the drinking cup narrows or widens upwards), or straight or freely curved, for example narrowing (the drinking cup has a waist) or widening (barrel shape) in the middle of the drinking cup (fig. 22). Walls that narrow the size of the main opening relative to the bottom (narrowing upwards) are most effective in terms of droplet collection.

In cross-sectional view (top view), the body of the beverage cup may be circular, square, short, diamond, oval, triangular, polygonal (five, six or more corners), or other shape (fig. 23). It may be rectangular with points above and below the collection trough, the drainage holes of the reservoir coinciding with the corners of the main cup.

The beverage cup may comprise 3 elements: 1-a body comprising a wall of the main container, a channel and a bottom; 2-a handle; 3-the bottom of the additional space (added container). The elements are then assembled together/fixed. It is also possible to manufacture the main body with the wall, groove and bottom of the main container together with the handle.

Figure 24 shows a longitudinal section through the base body (parts of the base body being connected along a collecting channel line) and the drinking cup body made from a one-piece casting. The inner and outer walls of the beverage cup are spaced apart. The main cup is formed by an inner bottom together with an inner wall, which along the upper edge of the drinking cup becomes an outer side wall with a collecting gutter, a handle and an outer bottom. The reservoir is formed by the gaps between the insole and outsole, the inner and outer rear walls. The distance between the inner and outer back walls may be lost during casting due to the increased thickness of the material and the fusion of the inner and outer back walls, which results in a beverage cup with increased durability. It is also possible to cast the drinking cup in a different way, whereby the handle is made as a separate element which is later attached/fixed.

Ceramic drinking cups can be made by making the body without making or separately casting the collection trough and then attaching it to the wall, the shape of the inner and outer walls can be varied: for example, the inner wall is circular, and the outer wall is square, triangular or polygonal; the shape of the inner wall is oval and the shape of the outer wall is rectangular, triangular, rhomboidal, polygonal. Furthermore, where the distance between the inner and outer walls is minimal, the walls may be fused by forming a rigid line.

The reservoir 4 may be movable (fig. 8, 9) and may be connected to the body 1, for example by screw threads or by means of magnets, suction cups, slits forming a lock when rotated (having an "open" - "locked" position), etc. In the lower point, close to the discharge opening 3 of the reservoir 4 (fig. 8, 9), the collecting channels are at a distance from one another, i.e. the liquid flows through this gap into the main cup. The air tightness at the joint can be ensured by a lining made of rubber or other elastic material.

The attachment means may be a separate element attached to the body with an adhesive material, e.g. glue, ensuring a safe and airtight joint. Furthermore, the attachment means may be attached to the main cup during manufacture, so that removal thereof is not a concern (fig. 10-11).

The reservoir 4 may require a specially replaceable absorbent disc (fig. 26), like a tissue diaper, or a tampon or pad. The tray may be filled with chemicals that convert the liquid into a gel. Such discs need to be replaced regularly. A tray beverage cup with the additional space required may have more drain holes 3 (fig. 26), for example 3-8 and more drain holes, arranged around the (peripheral) periphery of the beverage cup. The handle may be located anywhere or absent (a drinking cup like a glass or a goblet). Each drain hole can be associated with a collection gutter 2 (fig. 26) which collects liquid only in its sector. The collecting gutter may be formed by the space between the corners of a polygonal drinking cup. FIG. 26 shows a collection trough formed by a gradual change in profile.

A reservoir without a bottom can also be made (fig. 27). In this case, the tray for absorbing liquid 2 has a bottom 3, said bottom 3 being connected hermetically, for example with adhesive tape, to the body 1 of the drinking cup (fig. 27). When the disc is replaced, the tape is loosened and the disc is removed.

The drinking cup with the removable reservoir 4 (fig. 8, 10-11) may be made of ceramics (fancy glazed pottery, stained pottery, porcelain), glass, crystals, plastics, polymeric or composite materials, metal alloys, stainless steel, bronze, silver and gold. Combinations of the materials may also be used, for example, the main cup may be made of glass or ceramic and the accessory device may be made of metal or plastic.

When the drinking cup (fig. 1, 2) is used, the liquid overflowing the rim of the main cup 1 starts to flow down along the rear, falls into the collecting trough 2 opposite it, passes through the drain hole 3 and reaches the reservoir 4. Because the axis of inclination of the drinking cup (if held by the handle in the usual manner) is parallel to the axis of the drain hole during drinking, liquid is retained in the reservoir (which does not flow out regardless of how the drinking cup is inclined). The embodiment with two drain holes is most effective because the higher the slope, the faster the liquid flow. Furthermore, it is easier to wash a reservoir with two drainage holes.

Claims (10)

1. A beverage cup, comprising:

a main cup for containing a liquid;

a reservoir for collecting overflow which flows down the outer surface of the wall of the beverage cup;

a collection trough on an outer surface of the wall of the beverage cup for directing overflow downwardly into the reservoir;

a handle, one end of which is connected to the wall of the main cup of the drinking cup and the other end of which is connected to the wall of the main cup or to the wall of the reservoir;

wherein the reservoir is located below the main cup, the collecting trough having at least one lower point connected to at least one hole in the wall of the reservoir.

2. The beverage cup of claim 1 wherein the wall of the reservoir is an extension of the wall of the main cup.

3. The beverage cup of claim 1 wherein the collection trough has two lower points connected to two apertures of the reservoir, and wherein one of the apertures is located below or above the lower end of the handle and the other aperture is diametrically opposed to the one aperture.

4. A drinking cup as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the collecting gutter has a closed curved shape and has a slope formed between an upper point and a lower point of the collecting gutter.

5. A drinking cup as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the collecting gutter comprises two separate portions, the ends of which are connected to the aperture of the receptacle.

6. A drinking cup as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the collecting trough comprises at least two stacked stepped individual elements.

7. A drinking cup as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the removable reservoir is attachable to a wall of the main cup.

8. A drinking cup as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein all elements of the drinking cup are integrated in one target.

9. A drinking cup as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bottom of the reservoir is provided with a replaceable element, which is made of a substrate covered with an absorbent material.

10. A drinking cup as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base of the main cup is spherical.