Communion cup

A communion cup for religious communion services includes a body defining a top rim. A handle member is connected to the body and extends upwards from a plane through the rim. The handle member includes a manual grasping section such that a person can manually lift the communion cup from a serving tray by grasping the handle member at the grasping section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to a communion cup for religious services.
 Relatively small communion cups held in a serving tray are used by various
 religious denominations in their communion services. These conventional
 cups are typically cylindrical or truncated and fit into holes in a top
 surface of the serving tray. A relatively small portion of the cup extends
 above the tray for manual grasping. This conventional arrangement presents
 problems for many individuals.
 For example, individuals suffering from arthritis or other physical
 ailments that impair the mobility of the fingers and joints have an
 extremely difficult time grasping and withdrawing the communion cups from
 the service tray. Elderly individuals have a particularly difficult time.
 Even if the communion cups are successfully withdrawn from the tray, it is
 a relatively difficult task to manipulate the small cup to a drinking
 position, particularly if the individual's grasp must somehow be changed
 in the process. The communion service tends to be an unnecessarily anxious
 moment for many individuals due simply to the conventional communion cup
 and tray apparatus. The present invention provides an improvement to
 conventional communion cups.
 SUMMARY
 It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a
 communion cup for religious communion services that is relatively easy for
 an individual to grasp and remove from a service tray and to raise the cup
 for drinking.
 Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in
 part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description,
 or may be learned through practice of the invention.
 In accordance with the invention, a communion cup is provided for religious
 communion services. The cup includes a body that defines a top open rim.
 The body may take on various configurations, including a truncated body,
 cylindrical body, etc. The body may include a flange portion at the top
 thereof that defines the position of the cup within a communal service
 tray.
 A handle member is connected to the body and extends upwards from a plane
 through the rim. The handle member comprises a manual grasping section
 such that a person can manually lift the cup from the service tray by
 grasping the handle at its grasping section. In a preferred embodiment,
 the handle member also extends laterally from the rim. For example, the
 handle member may comprise a first vertical section connected to a second
 horizontal section. The horizontal section is connected to the body, for
 example at the rim of the body.
 It should be appreciated that the communion cup according to the invention
 is not limited in any way to the material or process by which it is
 formed. For example, the communion cup may be formed of a single
 integrally molded plastic component. The communion cup may also be formed
 from metal, or any other conventional material.
 In a preferred embodiment, the handle member may be formed integral with
 the body of the communion cup so that the two components are defined by a
 single integral piece.
 In an alternative preferred embodiment, the handle member may comprise a
 component that is separate from the body member. In this embodiment, the
 handle member is connectable to or engaged with the body and is reusable
 with other body members. For example, a handle member may comprise a
 holder in which the body is inserted and seated. For example, the holder
 may comprise a closed circumferential member, such as a closed loop or
 circle, into which the body fits. The flange section at the top of the
 body will define the position of the body within the holder. The holder
 includes an upstanding vertical section, as well as the grasping section
 discussed above. The holder may also include a horizontally extending
 section.
 The invention will be described below in greater detail through use of the
 figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
 Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments
 of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the
 drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention,
 and not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features
 illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another
 embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. It is intended that the
 present application include such modifications and variations as come
 within the scope and spirit of the invention.
 A communion cup 10 according to the invention is illustrated in the
 figures. Cup 10 includes a body 12 having a longitudinally extending
 circumferential side 14, a bottom 16, and an upper rim 18. Body 12 is
 illustrated in the figures as a generally truncated member having an upper
 flange portion 20. It should be appreciated, however, that body 12 can
 have any general configuration, including a cylindrical body, or any
 conventional communion cup configuration. Generally, conventional
 communion cups include some sort of flange or radially extending member or
 section at the top portion so that the cups do not slide completely
 through the holes or recesses defined in the service tray. For example,
 FIG. 4 illustrates communion cups 10 according to the invention inserted
 into a conventional service tray 34. It can be seen that the height of the
 cups 10 above the top surface of the service tray 34 is defined by the
 upper flange portion 20 of the cup bodies.
 It should also be appreciated that communion cup 10, and particularly body
 12, are not limited to any type of material. The cup may be formed from a
 plastic material according to any conventional forming process.
 Alternatively, the cup may be formed from glass, crystal, metal, or any
 other conventional material.
 Communion cup 10 according to the invention includes a handle member,
 generally 22. Handle member 22 has a configuration so as to extend upwards
 or vertically from a plane through rim 18. Handle member 22 includes a
 manual grasping section 28 so that a person can manually lift cup 10 from
 the service tray 34 by simply grasping handle member 22 at the grasping
 section 28.
 Handle member 22 is attached to body member 12 generally near rim 18. In
 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, handle member 22 extends
 generally from rim 18. Handle member 22 may include a vertically extending
 section 24 defining grasping section 28 at the top thereof. Vertical
 section 24 may merge with a horizontally extending section 26 that is
 connected to body 12. Horizontal section 26 may be preferred in that it
 provides greater radial separation between the handles. Thus, referring to
 FIG. 4, the lateral displacement of handle members 22 resulting from
 horizontal section 26 provides an increased distance or space between the
 handle members thereby making it easier for an individual to grasp any one
 handle member.
 Handle member 22 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 as an ornamental
 cross. It should be appreciated that this is not a limitation of the
 invention and that handle member 22 may take on any ornamental shape or
 configuration. The same applies for grasping section 28.
 In a preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the handle member
 22 is a separate component from body 12 and comprises a cup holder 30. Cup
 holder 30 may have a closed or open circumferential member 32 defining an
 opening through which body 12 of the cup is inserted, as shown in FIG. 6.
 The flange section 20 of body 12 ensures that the body does not slide
 completely through the circumferential loop or member 32. Holder 30 also
 includes a vertical section 24 and a grasping section 28. Although not
 illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a horizontal section may also be included
 between vertical section 24 and the circumferential member 32. It should
 also be understood that the vertical section 24 and grasping section 28
 can take on any ornamental configuration.
 It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various
 modifications and changes can be made to the embodiments of the invention
 described herein. It is intended that such modifications and variations be
 included within the present invention as come within the scope and spirit
 of the appended claims and their equivalents.