Abstract:
A disposable drinking device comprising a cup is disclosed. The cup defines a cup cavity and comprises a cup opening communicated with the cup cavity and a cup brim annularly associated with the cup opening. The cup brim comprises a brim curl having a lip configuration and a flare configuration. When the brim curl is in the lip configuration, the brim curl arcuately and concavely extends away from the cup opening to form a brim lip. When the brim curl is in the flare configuration, the brim curl arcuately and convexly extends away from the cup opening to form a brim flare. The described configuration results in the cup brim being destroyed when the lid is removed from the cup, making subsequent re-capping impossible.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to a disposable drinking device and more particularly to a leak resistant disposable drinking device suitable for use by young children.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Sippy cups, or drinking devices suitable for use by young children, are designed to contain a liquid and allow for the controlled release of the liquid in a manner responsive to the action of a user. For example, a sippy cup which includes a straw having a one-way valve will not release the liquid from the cup until suction is applied to the straw. The applied suction opens the one-way valve allowing the liquid to flow through the straw and out of the cup. When no suction is applied, the one-way valve remains closed and the liquid remains within the cup. Due to their fluid release control characteristics, sippy cups are typically used to help a child develop the fine motor skills needed to drink from a cup without spilling. Since young children have not yet developed these motor skills, these cups have to be spill and leak resistant, easy to use, as well as provide some tactile stimulation to encourage the child to drink. Moreover, these cups need to be relatively strong and durable in order to provide some protection from the child spilling the liquid from the cup.  
           [0003]    At present, a number of manufacturers produce a variety of non-disposable sippy cup designs with an enhanced leak resistance capability, a soft touch effect for tactile stimulation and sufficient strength and durability. These sippy cup designs provide a cup having a removable cup lid for filling and re-filling the cup with liquid. However, because sippy cups are often filled, and then re-filled or ‘topped-off’, with drinks that have a high sugar content, such as juice or milk, the sippy cup provides an excellent environment for bacterial colonization and propagation. This increases the likelihood of the child developing an illness caused by bacterial colonization of the liquid in the cup prior to re-filling.  
           [0004]    Most of the sippy cups are manufactured by an injection molding process in order to acquire sufficient strength and durability. Although the injection molding process creates a strong and durable cup, these cups are typically expensive to manufacture and are thus non-disposable. In addition, these cups are difficult to clean, difficult to stack and inconvenient for parents to transport away from home due to the number of cups required and the maintenance required to keep these cups clean. These injection molded cups may also include over-molded or dual shot molded features for decoration and soft touch effects adding to the cost, maintenance and transportability problem. Furthermore, most existing sippy cup designs include relatively thick walls and are of a fairly heavy construction. As such, even though a cup may be disposable, consumers may not feel that it is disposable and thus may be hesitant to discard the cup.  
           [0005]    Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a truly disposable and inexpensive single use sippy cup which may be easily transported and discarded after use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The above discussed need is addressed by a disposable drinking device comprising: a cup, wherein the cup defines a cup cavity and includes a cup opening communicated with the cup cavity and a cup brim annularly associated with the cup opening, wherein the cup brim includes a brim curl having a lip configuration and a flare configuration, wherein when the brim curl is in the lip configuration the brim curl arcuately and concavely extends away from the cup opening to form a brim lip and wherein when the brim curl is in the flare configuration, the brim curl arcuately and convexly extends away from the cup opening to form a brim flare; and a thermoformed lid having a lid crown and a lid skirt, wherein the lid crown includes a crown top, a crown bottom and a spout having a spout opening disposed to communicate the crown top with the crown bottom, and wherein the lid skirt includes an angular rim having an internal rim surface, wherein when the lid is snap-fittingly associated with the cup, the brim curl is in the lip configuration and the internal rim surface is securely associated with the brim lip, such that when the lid is disassociated from the cup, the internal rim surface forcingly configures the brim curl into the flare configuration.  
           [0007]    A disposable lid comprising: a thermoformed lid crown, wherein the lid crown includes a crown top, a crown bottom and a protruding spout having a spout opening disposed to communicate the crown top with the crown bottom; and a thermoformed lid skirt, wherein the lid skirt includes an angular rim having an internal rim surface, wherein the lid skirt is shaped to allow the lid to securely associate with a cup having a brim curl, wherein when the lid is disassociated from the cup the internal rim surface causes the brim curl to change configurations.  
           [0008]    A disposable cup comprising: a cup wall defining a cup cavity and including a cup opening communicated with the cup cavity and a cup brim annularly associated with the cup opening, wherein the cup brim includes a partially formed brim curl having a lip configuration and a flare configuration, wherein when the brim curl is in the lip configuration the brim curl arcuately and concavely extends away from the cup opening to form a brim lip and wherein when the brim curl is in the flare configuration, the brim curl arcuately and convexly extends away from the cup opening to form a brim flare.  
           [0009]    A method for implementing a disposable drinking device comprising: obtaining a disposable lid and a disposable cup, wherein the lid includes a lid skirt having an angular rim, and wherein the cup includes a cup opening, a cup brim and defines a cup cavity, the cup brim having a brim curl, wherein the brim curl includes a lip configuration and a flare configuration; inserting a liquid into the cup cavity; arranging the lid and the cup such that the lid is loosely associated with the cup brim so as to enclose the cup cavity; and compressing the lid onto the cup brim such that the angular rim is fasteningly associated with the brim curl.  
           [0010]    The above discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side view of a disposable lid;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a top view of a disposable lid;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of a disposable lid;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a disposable lid;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of a disposable lid;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a disposable lid;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is a cross sectional side view of a second alternative embodiment of a disposable lid;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of a disposable lid;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9 is a cross sectional side view of a third alternative embodiment of a disposable lid;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third alternative embodiment of a disposable lid;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 11 is a cross sectional side view of a disposable cup having a brim curl with an arc angle of 135°;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 12 is a cross sectional side view of a disposable cup having a brim curl with an arc angle of 225°;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 13 is a side view of a disposable cup;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 14 is a cross sectional side view of a disposable cup;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a disposable cup;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional side view of a disposable drinking device showing a lid associated with a cup with the brim curl in lip configuration;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional side view of a disposable drinking device showing a lid disassociated with a cup with the brim curl in flare configuration;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 18 is a cross sectional side view of a lid loosely associated with a cup;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 19 is a cross sectional side view of a lid fasteningly associated with a cup;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 20 is a side view of a tilted disposable drinking device; and  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating a method for implementing a disposable drinking device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]    Referring to FIG. 1, a disposable lid  110  is shown and described in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. Lid  110  preferably includes a lid crown  112  having a crown top  114 , a crown bottom  116 , and a protruding lid spout  118  associated with lid crown  112  and including a spout opening  120 . Lid  110  also includes a lid skirt  122  having ribs  121 , a skirt diameter a and an angular rim  124 , wherein angular rim  124  includes a rim diameter b and an internal rim surface  126 , wherein, ribs  121  are disposed to securely associate disposable lid  110  with the brim of a disposable cup.  
         [0034]    Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, disposable lid  110  is again illustrated and spout opening  120  is shown. Spout opening  120  includes an opening border  127  and is preferably disposed to communicate crown top  114  with crown bottom  116 . Although lid  110  includes a lid thickness m, wherein lid thickness m is between about {fraction (9/1000)} inch and about {fraction (25/1000)} inch, lid thickness m is preferably about {fraction (10/1000)} inch. This advantageously allows for a relatively strong, durable and truly disposable cup lid  110 . In addition, lid  110  is constructed using a thermoform process and is preferably constructed of a translucent plastic and/or composite material. However, lid  110  may be constructed of any material and/or combination of materials suitable to the desired end purpose, such polyester (APET), polypropylene or polyethylene—alone or as a coating on a paperboard substrate, which would be much more suitable from a child safety standpoint. Lid spout  118  is preferably a protruding spout which extends upward from crown top  114  to facilitate ‘sipping’ action from a user and includes at least one small spout opening  120  which allows for small children to suck liquid  150  out of cup cavity  134  while maintaining some level of spill/leak resistance. Lid spout  118  may be constructed using a thermoform process and spout opening  120  may include a plurality of holes or may be a self healing razor slit. This self healing razor slit may include an opening border  127 , which is sized and/or shaped to flexibly, deformably and resiliently increase in size to dispense liquid when suction is applied to lid spout  118 . When suction is not applied to lid spout  118 , the self healing nature of opening border  127  allows opening border  127  to return to its original size to prevent liquid from escaping from spout opening  120 . Self healing razor slits are not present in injection molded lids because injection molded lids are thicker and less resilient than thermoformed lids. Thus, this self healing razor slit advantageously provides for a greater leak resistance capability than is possible with injection molded lids that do not have insert molded or assembled elastomeric valves.  
         [0035]    Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a cross sectional side view and a perspective view, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of disposable lid I  10  is illustrated. Disposable lid  110  includes a protruding lid spout  118  having a spout opening  120 . It should be appreciated that spout opening  120  may include a self healing razor slit or a plurality of holes for dispensing liquid when suction is applied to protruding lid spout  118 .  
         [0036]    Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a cross sectional side view and a perspective view, respectively, of a second alternative embodiment of disposable lid  110  is illustrated and includes a cone shaped lid spout  118  protruding from disposable lid I  10 . As can be seen, cone shaped protruding lid spout  118  originates in the center of disposable lid  1   10  and includes spout opening  120 , which may include a self healing razor slit or a plurality of holes for dispensing liquid when suction is applied to cone shaped protruding lid spout  118 .  
         [0037]    Referring to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, a cross sectional side view and a perspective view, respectively, of a third alternative embodiment of a disposable lid is illustrated. Disposable lid  110  includes a protruding lid spout  118  having a spout opening  120 . It should be appreciated that although spout opening  120  is shown has having a plurality of holes for dispensing a liquid when suction is applied to protruding lid spout  118 , protruding lid spout  118  may include a self healing razor slit as spout opening  120 . It should also be appreciated that protruding lid spout  118  is preferably sized and shaped to achieve a pleasing and/or stimulating tactile response from a user.  
         [0038]    Referring to FIG. 11, a disposable cup  128  is shown and described. Cup  128  is constructed using a thermoform process and includes a cup wall  130  having a cup opening  132  and defining a cup cavity  134 . Cup wall  130  also includes a cup brim  136  annularly associated with cup opening  132 , wherein cup brim  136  includes a partially formed brim curl  138  having an arc angle β between about 135° to about 225° from an imaginary line  1  disposed tangent to cup wall  130 . Referring to FIG. 3, a cup  128  having a brim curl  138  with an arc angle β of about 135° from an imaginary line  1  disposed tangent to cup wall  130  is shown. Referring to FIG. 12, a cup  128  having a brim curl  138  with an arc angle β of about 225° from an imaginary line  1  disposed tangent to cup wall  130  is shown. Referring to FIGS. 13, 14 and  15 , a side view, a cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, of a disposable cup  128  is illustrated and includes a partially formed brim curl  138 .  
         [0039]    In addition, disposable cup  128  having partially formed brim curl  138  includes a lip configuration  140 , as shown in FIG. 16, and a flare configuration  142 , as shown in FIG. 4B. Referring to FIG. 16, when brim curl  138  is in lip configuration  140 , brim curl  138  arcuately and concavely extends away from cup opening  132  to form a brim lip  144 . Referring to FIG. 17, when brim curl  138  is in flare configuration  142 , brim curl  138  arcuately and convexly extends away from cup opening  132  to form a brim flare  146 . It should be appreciated, that by using partially formed brim curl  138  in combination with disposable lid  110 , or in combination with conventional lids, will provide for an enhanced lid retetion.  
         [0040]    Referring again to FIGS. 11 and 16, cup brim  136  also includes a brim curl diameter c sized relative to skirt diameter a to allow brim curl  138  to sealingly associate with lid skirt  122  of lid  110  when lid  110  is snap-fittingly associated with cup  128 . Moreover, brim lip  144  includes a lip diameter d sized relative to rim diameter b to allow brim lip  144  to fasteningly associate with angular rim  124  (or ribs  121 ) when lid  110  is snap-fittingly associated with cup  128 .  
         [0041]    Cup wall  130  is preferably constructed of a translucent plastic material and includes a cup wall thickness n, wherein although cup wall thickness n is preferably {fraction (15/1000)} inch, cup wall thickness n may be between about {fraction (9/1000)} inch and about {fraction (25/1000)} inch. In addition, although cup  128  is preferably constructed of a plastic and/or composite material, cup  128  may be constructed of any material and/or combination of materials suitable to the desired end purpose, such as paper and/or polyester (APET), polypropylene or polyethylene—alone or as a coating on a paperboard substrate—which are well suited from a child safety standpoint.  
         [0042]    Referring to FIG. 18, a disposable drinking device  148  is shown containing a liquid  150  within cup cavity  134  and having lid  110  disposed loosely associated with cup  128 . Referring to FIG. 19, a disposable drinking device  148  is shown containing a liquid  150  within cup cavity  134  and having lid  110  snap-fittingly associated with cup  128 . Cup  128  is shown with brim curl  138  in lip configuration  140 , wherein brim curl diameter C is sized relative to skirt diameter a to allow brim curl  138  to sealingly associate with lid skirt  122  at a first sealing location  152  and a second sealing location  154 . In addition, lip diameter d is sized relative to rim diameter b to allow brim lip  144  to fasteningly associate with angular rim  124  when lid  110  is snap-fittingly associated with cup  128 , as shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0043]    Referring to FIG. 20, disposable drinking device  148  is shown in tilted fashion with lid  110  associated with cup  128  such that brim curl  138  is sealingly associated with lid skirt  122  at first sealing location  152  and second sealing location  154  and such that angular rim  124  is fasteningly associated with brim lip  144 . The fact that brim curl  138  is sealingly associated with lid skirt and the fact that angular rim  124  is fasteningly associated with brim lip  144  advantageously allows disposable drinking device  148  to be tilted without spilling liquid  150  from cup cavity  134 . Moreover, the fact that spout opening  120  is sized and/or shaped to contain liquid until suction is applied to lid spout  118  also advantageously allows disposable drinking device  148  to be tilted without spilling liquid  150  from cup cavity  134 . In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, lid  110  and cup brim  136  are preferably round in shape and angular rim  124  is disposed relative to brim lip  144  to provide for a snap feature that snaps annularly about brim curl  138 .  
         [0044]    Lid  110  is novel and unique from existing lids in 1) that it is constructed using a thermoform process rather than via a mold injection process, 2) that interaction between angular rim  124  and brim lip  144  makes lid  128  easy to compress onto cup  128 , but when lid is removed from cup, angular rim  124  pushes against brim lip  144  forcing brim curl  138  into flare configuration  142 , thus destroying the seal at first sealing location  152  and second sealing location  154 , 3) that it is formed from a clear material which allows visual identification of the type and level of liquid  150  disposed within cup  128 , 4) that spout opening  120  is sized and/or shaped to minimize liquid from leaking from cup and 5) that disposable drinking device  42  is truly disposable.  
         [0045]    Cup  128  is novel and unique from existing cups in that 1) cup  128  includes a configurable cup brim  136  for a true single-use purpose, 2) cup  128  may either be a paper cup or a cup constructed using a thermoform process and 3) cup  128  is easily stackable and thus easy to transport and/or package. Cup  128  is preferably a crush-resistant cup and includes a coating, such as a foam material, that provides tactile stimulation to a child using cup  128 .  
         [0046]    Referring to FIG. 21, a method  200  for implementing disposable drinking device  148  is shown and described. As shown in blocks  202  and  203 , lid  110  and cup  128  are obtained and a liquid  150  is inserted into cup cavity  134 . Lid  110  is then arranged to be loosely associated with cup brim  136  and so as to loosely cover cup cavity  134 , as shown in block  204 . Lid  110  is then compressed onto cup brim  136 , as shown in block  206 , such that internal rim surface  126  of angular rim  124  becomes fasteningly associated with brim lip  144 . At this point, disposable drinking device  148  is ready to be used and discarded after use.  
         [0047]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, while a disposable drinking device  148  and a method  200  for implementing the same is described and discussed below it should be understood that the method and device of the invention may be applied to other product containers, such as storage bowls, serving bowls, plates and/or insulated cups.  
         [0048]    As described above, the method  200  of FIG. 21 may be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The method  200  of FIG. 21 may also be embodied in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. Existing systems having reprogrammable storage (e.g., flash memory) may be updated to implement the invention. The method of FIG. 21 may also be embodied in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.  
         [0049]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, unless specifically stated any use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another.