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.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to cup holders, and more specifically, to insulated cup holders for disposable beverage cups.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recent 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 INVENTION

It 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.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated inFIG. 1and is seen to include a conventional, disposable beverage cup, generally designated10, made of paper, plastic coated paper, or plastic, depending upon the use to which it is to be put. The cup includes an upper edge12and a lower edge14together with an inverted frusto-conical side wall16. At the upper edge12, the cup10includes a conventional, radially outwardly extending, peripheral bead18. The upper edge12and the bead18define a circular, upper access opening to the interior of the cup10through which a beverage may be introduced into the cup10or withdrawn therefrom.

Also illustrated inFIG. 1is a conventional, disposable beverage cup lid, generally designated20which may be of conventional construction. The same includes a depression which may be punched out to provide a sip opening along with a peripheral, radially outwardly directed depending skirt24that attaches to a side wall26of the lid20via a radially inwardly opening, peripheral groove28by which the lid20may be snap fitted about the bead18to be captured on the cup10.

According to the invention, an insulating cup holder, generally designated30, is provided. The cup holder30is made up of an inner liner32surrounded by an outer body or shell34. The outer body34is spaced from the inner liner32so as to define an insulating space36. The insulating space36may 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 inFIG. 1, the inner liner32and the outer body34are formed of plastic. The inner liner32has an interior surface38that is in the form of an inverted frusto cone, terminating in one end in a bottom40and in and at the opposite end, in an axially directed flange42. As shown, the surface38is sized so as to snugly receive and abut the side wall16of the cup10over substantially the entire extent of the latter.

The axially extending flange42defines a circular, access opening by which the cup10may be inserted into the cup holder30. The width of the flange42, as illustrated inFIG. 1, is such that the upper edge may abut the underside of the bead28without interfering with the snap fit of the lid20on the cup10.

The outer body34has a bottom46, a generally inverted frusto conical side wall48, and a top, axially extending edge50.

Returning to the inner liner32, at a location near its top, and just below the axially extending edge42, a radially extending, outwardly directed, peripheral flange52is located. The flange52is such as to just overlie the axially extending edge50of the outer body; and at this location, the flange52and the upper edge50of the outer body30are abutted and sealed together to isolate the insulation containing space36.

It will be observed fromFIG. 1that a small, peripheral space54exists between the bottom of the skirt24and the upper surface of the flange52. This gap assures that insertion of the cup10with the lid20thereon into the cup holder30will not dislodge the lid20from the cup10. It also allows the lid20to be placed on the cup10or removed therefrom while the cup10is in the cup holder30.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1, it will be noted that the lower edge14of the cup10is above the bottom40of the inner liner32. The cup10is suspended in this relation by the abutment of the axially extending edge42of the inner liner32with the underside of the bead18.

FIG. 2illustrates another embodiment of the invention which is essentially the same as that inFIG. 1but for a couple of differences. Like reference numerals indicate like components which will not be redescribed in the interest of brevity. In this embodiment, inner liner32omits the axially extending edge42in favor of a circular access opening that is coplanar with the upper edge of the radially extending flange52. Again, a slight gap54is maintained between the flange52and the skirt24.

A second difference between the embodiments ofFIG. 1andFIG. 2is the interior configuration of the inner liner32. In this case, the bottom wall40supports the bottom edge60of the side wall16of the cup10.

According to the embodiment ofFIG. 3, the inner liner32and the outer body34are formed of metal and typically, a vacuum will be pulled within the space36between the two. The cup10and the lid20therefor are of conventional construction and as described previously in connection withFIGS. 1 and 2. In this case, the upper end of the outer body34terminates in an axially directed edge62which merges with and is joined to the inner liner32just below its upper edge42. The arrangement is such that the upper edge42engages the bead18of the cup10and supports the same with the bottom edge14of the cup10above the bottom40of the inner liner32. It will be noted that the skirt24overlies the axially extending edges42,62of the inner liner32and outer body34respectively. The embodiment ofFIG. 3includes the provision of a grip63in the form of an inverted L whose horizontal leg terminates in a ring-shaped band64that surrounds the outer shell34near the upper edge thereof. The grip63may be bonded to the outer shell by any suitable means.

FIG. 4illustrates an embodiment that is generally identical toFIG. 3except that in this case, the grip63is in the form of a rubber or plastic ring which may be bonded or shrink fitted to the outer shell34, again near its upper edge and just below the terminus of the skirt24on the lid20.

It should be recognized that if desired, the inner liner32of either of the embodiments illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4may be sized so that the lower edge14of the side wall16of the cup10may rest there against just as illustrated inFIG. 2.

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 cup10when 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 lid20may be applied to the cup10without interference when the cup10is within the holder30or may be removed from the cup10if desired. Furthermore, if the lid20is applied to the cup10prior to insertion of the latter into the holder30, the holder30does not engage the lid and dislodge or partially dislodge the same from the cup10.