Abstract:
A container comprising at least one receptacle wall defining an opening. A brim is formed about the opening. The brim includes a brim curl in a first configuration. The brim curl is adapted to deform into a second configuration. The container may further comprise a lid removably and sealingly engaged to the receptacle. The lid is adapted to deform the brim curl upon removal of the lid from the receptacle. The lid cannot sealingly engage the deformed brim curl.

Description:
PRIORITY  
       [0001]     Priority is claimed as a continuation-in-part to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/402,718, filed on Mar. 28, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The field of the present invention is disposable containers, such as cups, bowls, plates, and the like, for serving and storing consumable goods, particularly perishable goods.  
         [0004]     2. Background  
         [0005]     Sippy cups, or drinking devices suitable for use by young children, exemplify some of the shortcomings that exist in the prior art relating to disposable containers. At present, a variety of non-disposable sippy cup designs are available, with many having the strength and durability that is desired by consumers, enhanced leak resistance through a sealable and removable lid, suitable insulation for hot beverages, and an exterior that is “soft” to the touch. The removable lid enables the consumer to repeatedly refill the cup with any desired beverage. When such cups are repeatedly refilled with liquids that have a high sugar content, such as juice or milk, and are often not refrigerated, the cup becomes an excellent environment for bacterial colonization and propagation. Children using such cups are therefore at greater risk of exposure to unhealthy and potentially deadly amounts of bacteria. Cups which do not enable this potentially harmful practice of repeatedly refilling cups and creating a bacterial breeding ground are therefore desirable.  
         [0006]     One potential method of reducing or eliminating this practice is to make cups disposable. However, many consumers frequently reuse even “disposable” cups. Many such cups are manufactured by an injection molding process in order to acquire sufficient strength and durability. These cups often include relatively thick walls and are of a fairly heavy construction. As such, even though a cup is manufactured to be disposed of after a single use, a consumer may not view the cup as being disposable.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed toward a disposable container. The container comprises at least one receptacle wall defining an opening. A brim is formed about the opening and includes a brim curl in a first configuration. The brim curl is deformable from the first configuration into a second configuration. The container may also include a lid which is removably and sealingly engaged to the brim. When the lid is disengaged from the brim, the brim is deformed. In deforming the brim, the lid causes the brim curl to deform from the first configuration into the second configuration. The lid and the brim curl are designed and configured so that the lid cannot sealingly engage the deformed brim.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved disposable container. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to similar components:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a first embodiment of a lid;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2A  is a top plan view of the lid of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2B  is a sectional view of a tool and die for making a slit in a lid;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of another embodiment of a lid;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the lid of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side sectional view of yet another embodiment of a lid;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the lid of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side sectional view of yet another embodiment of a lid;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the lid of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side sectional view of yet another embodiment of a lid;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the lid of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is a side sectional view of a cup having a brim curl with an arc angle of 135°;  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side sectional view of a cup having a brim curl with an arc angle of 225°;  
         [0023]      FIG. 13  is a side plan view of a cup;  
         [0024]      FIG. 14  is a side sectional view of the cup of  FIG. 13 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the cup of  FIG. 13 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 16  is a side sectional view of a cup sealingly engaged to a lid;  
         [0027]      FIG. 17  is a side sectional view of the cup and lid of  FIG. 16  following disengagement;  
         [0028]      FIG. 18  is a side sectional view of a cup and lid prior to engagement;  
         [0029]      FIG. 19  is a side sectional view of a cup sealingly engaged to a lid with liquid in the cup;  
         [0030]      FIG. 20  is a side plan view of a tilted cup seal ingly engaged to a lid with liquid in the cup; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 21  is a block diagram illustrating a method for implementing a disposable drinking device.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]     Turning in detail to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a lid  110 . The lid  110  includes a crown  112 , a spout  118 , and a skirt  122 . The spout  118  extends outward from the crown top  114  and includes at least one opening  120  which provides a passage from the crown top  114  through to the crown bottom  116 . The spout  118  and associated opening  120  facilitate ‘sipping’ by the user. Liquid may pass through the opening  120  when the lid  110  is sealingly seated on the brim of a cup (as shown in  FIG. 16 ). The skirt  122  includes inwardly protruding ribs  121  and an angular rim  124 . The lid skirt  122  is generally defined by a skirt diameter, a, which is approximately the same diameter as the brim of the cup to which the lid is to be attached. The angular rim  124  includes an internal rim surface and is generally defined by the rim diameter, b, which is smaller than the skirt diameter, a. The ribs  121  and the angular rim  124 , in combination, are configured to securely associate the lid  110  with the brim of a cup.  
         [0033]     The lid  110  has a thickness, m, of approximately 10/1000 in., which advantageously allows the lid  110  to be relatively strong, durable, and truly disposable. Alternatively, the lid may have a thickness, m, of between 9/1000 in. to 25/1000 in. or greater. The lid  110  is preferably constructed using a thermoform process with a translucent plastic and/or composite material. However, the 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 might be much more suitable from a child safety standpoint.  
         [0034]      FIG. 2A  illustrates the opening  120  in the spout  118 , which generally allows liquid to be sucked out of an attached cup while providing at least some spill/leak resistance. The opening  120  shown in  FIG. 2A  is a self healing slit (which is exaggerated for purposes of illustration). The self healing slit flexibly, deformably, and resiliently increases in size to dispense liquid when suction, i.e. pressure that is less than ambient air pressure, is applied to the spout  118 . Upon termination of suction, the self healing slit returns to its original size and shape to prevent liquid from escaping from the attached cup. Such a self healing slit may be formed by making a single slit in the spout  118  of a thermoformed lid  110  using a narrow blade without removing material from the spout  118 . A tool and die arrangement for making the slit in the spout  118  is shown in  FIG. 2B . The die  117  is placed on an opposite side of the spout  118  from the blade  115  and includes a slot  119  for receiving the blade  115 . The die  117  provides opposite side support for the spout  118  as the blade  115  pierces and cuts the spout  118  to create the slit. This arrangement helps minimize deformation of the plastic during the slit-cutting process, which is an important factor in creating the self-healing slit.  
         [0035]     Self healing slits are not present in injection molded lids because injection molded lids are thicker and less resilient than thermoformed lids. A self healing slit advantageously provides for greater leak resistance capability than is possible with injection molded lids that do not have insert molded or assembled elastomeric valves.  
         [0036]      FIG. 3  illustrates a lid  110   a  having a skirt  122   a  which does not include an angular rim. The ribs  121   a  and the top portion  123   a  of the skirt  122   a , in combination, are configured to securely associate the lid  110   a  with the brim of a cup.  FIG. 4  illustrates this alternative lid  110   a  in perspective.  
         [0037]      FIG. 5  illustrates a lid  110   b  having a skirt  122   b  which includes an angular rim  124   b , but does not include ribs. The angular rim  124   b  and the top portion  123   b  of the skirt  122   b , in combination, are configured to securely associate the lid  110   b  with the brim of a cup.  FIG. 6  illustrates this alternative lid  110   b  in perspective.  
         [0038]      FIG. 7  illustrates a lid  110   c  having a conical spout  118   c  as compared to the previously described lids. As shown in  FIG. 8 , a plurality of holes  120   c  serve as the opening of the spout  118   c  through which liquid contained in an attached cup may be dispensed.  
         [0039]      FIGS. 9 &amp; 10  illustrate a lid  110   d  similar to the one depicted in  FIG. 3 . The spout  118   d  of this lid  110   d  includes a plurality of holes  120   d  through which liquid contained in an attached cup may be dispensed.  
         [0040]     A disposable cup  128 , which is constructed using a thermoform process, is shown in  FIG. 11 . This disposable cup  128  is constructed to be mated with the previously described lid. The cup wall  130  defines a cup opening  132  and a cup cavity  134 . The cup brim  136  includes a partially formed brim curl  138 , which extends entirely around the cup brim  136 . Alternatively, the brim curl  138  may extend only partially around the cup brim  136 . The brim curl  136  is generally described by its arc angle, β, which is defined as the angle between the imaginary line, l, disposed tangent to the cup wall  130  and the imaginary line extending from the end of the brim curl  138  as shown. The arc angle, β, is preferably between about 1350 to about 2250 but, depending upon the actual construction of the lid, may also be outside of this range.  FIG. 11  shows a cup  128  having a brim curl  138  with an arc angle, β, of about 135°.  FIG. 12  shows a cup  128  having a brim curl  138  with an arc angle, β, of about 225°.  FIGS. 13, 14 , and  15  illustrate a side view, a cross-sectional view, and a perspective view, respectively, of a disposable cup  128  having a partially formed brim curl  138 .  
         [0041]     The brim curl  138  of the disposable cup  128  may be placed in multiple configurations. For example,  FIG. 16  shows a disposable cup  128  with a lid  110  sealingly seated on the brim  136 . The brim curl  138  of this cup  128  extends entirely around the brim  136  in a lip configuration  140 . In the lip configuration  140 , the brim curl  138  arcuately and concavely extends away from cup opening  132  to form a brim lip  144 . In an alternative configuration, which is not illustrated, the brim curl extends only partially around the brim.  
         [0042]     When the lid  110  is removed from the cup  128 , as shown in  FIG. 17 , the lid causes the brim curl  138  to deform into a flare configuration  142 . In the flare configuration  142 , the brim curl  138  arcuately and convexly extends away from cup opening  132  to form a brim flare  146 . As shown, the lid  110  has deformed the entire brim curl  138 . In practice, however, the lid  110  may partially deform the brim curl  138 , such that the flare configuration  142  extends only partially around the brim  136 .  
         [0043]     Referring back to  FIG. 11 , the cup brim  136  has a brim curl diameter, c, sized relative to the lid skirt diameter, a, (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to allow the brim curl  138  to sealingly associate with the lid skirt  122  as shown in  FIG. 16 . The brim lip  144  has a lip diameter, d, which is sized relative to the lid rim diameter, b, to allow the brim lip  144  to fasteningly associate with the angular rim  124  (or ribs  121 , depending on the lid configuration).  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIG. 16 , the cup wall  130  is preferably constructed of a translucent plastic material and has a wall thickness, n, which is preferably 15/1000 inch. The wall thickness, n, however, may be between about 9/1000 inch and about 25/1000 inch. In addition, although the cup  128  is preferably constructed of a plastic and/or composite material, it may be constructed of any suitable material and/or combination of materials, such as paper and/or polyester (APET), polypropylene or polyethylene—alone or as a coating on a paperboard substrate—all of which are well suited from a child safety perspective.  
         [0045]     A disposable drinking device  148  is shown in  FIG. 18 . A liquid  150  is contained within the cup cavity  134  and a lid  110  is disposed loosely associated with the cup  128 .  FIG. 19  shows the lid  110  snap-fittingly associated with the cup  128  containing the liquid  150 . The cup  128  is shown with the brim curl  138  in the lip configuration  140 , wherein the brim curl diameter, c, is sized relative to the lid skirt diameter, a to allow the brim curl  138  to sealingly associate with the lid skirt  122  at a first sealing location  152  and a second sealing location  154 . In addition, the lip diameter, d, is sized relative to the rim diameter, b, to allow the brim lip  144  to fasteningly associate with the angular rim  124  when the lid  110  is snap-fittingly associated with the cup  128 .  
         [0046]     The disposable drinking device  148  is shown in tilted fashion in  FIG. 20 . The lid  110  is associated with the cup  128  such that the brim curl  138  is sealingly associated with the lid skirt  122  at a first sealing location  152  and a second sealing location  154 . In addition, the angular rim  124  is fasteningly associated with the brim lip  144 . Having both the brim curl  138  sealingly associated with lid skirt and the angular rim  124  fasteningly associated with the brim lip  144  advantageously allows the disposable drinking device  148  to be tilted without spilling the liquid  150  contained in the cup cavity  134 . Moreover, having the spout opening  120  sized and/or shaped to contain liquid until suction is applied to the lid spout  118  also advantageously allows the disposable drinking device  148  to be tilted without spilling the liquid  150  contained in the cup cavity  134 . In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the lid  110  and the cup brim  136  are round in shape and the angular rim  124  is disposed relative to the brim lip  144  to provide for a snap closure feature that snaps annularly about brim curl  138 .  
         [0047]     The lid  110  is novel and unique from existing lids in that 1) it is constructed using a thermoform process rather than via a mold injection process; 2) the interaction between the angular rim  124  and the brim lip  144  makes the lid  128  easy to compress onto the cup  128 , but when lid is removed from the cup, the angular rim  124  pushes against the brim lip  144 , forcing the brim curl  138  at least partially into the flare configuration  142 , thus destroying the seal and the ability to be resealed; 3) it is formed from a clear material which allows visual identification of the type and level of liquid  150  disposed within the cup  128 ;  4 ) the spout opening  120  is sized and/or shaped to minimize liquid from leaking from the cup; and 5) the disposable nature of the lid  110  permits the disposable drinking device  42  to be wholly disposable.  
         [0048]     The cup  128  is novel and unique from existing cups in that 1) the cup  128  includes a configurable cup brim  136  for a true single-use purpose; 2) the cup  128  may be constructed from a number of truly disposable materials, such as paper or a thermoform plastic; and 3) the cup  128  is stackable, making it easy to transport and/or package. The 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 the cup  128 .  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIG. 21 , a method  200  for implementing the disposable drinking device  148  is shown and described. As shown in blocks  202  and  203 , the lid  110  and the cup  128  are obtained and a liquid  150  is inserted into the cup cavity  134 . The lid  110  is then arranged to be loosely associated with the cup brim  136 , so as to loosely cover the cup cavity  134  as shown in block  204 . The lid  110  is then compressed onto the cup brim  136 , as shown in block  206 , such that the internal rim surface  126  of the angular rim  124  becomes fasteningly associated with the brim lip  144 . At this point, the disposable drinking device  148  is ready to be used and discarded after use.  
         [0050]     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.  
         [0051]     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.