Abstract:
A scald-preventive disposable cup holder is disclosed to have an endless peripheral wall formed of paper material, a through hole defined by the endless peripheral wall and extending through top and bottom sides thereof, a

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a disposable cup holder for holding a cup and more particularly, to a scald-preventive disposable cup holder.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Disposable paper or plastic cups are intensively used in coffee shops, fast-food chain stores, drive-through restaurants, etc., for holding coffee, beverage, soup, or the like for takeout ordering. However, it is scalding to hold a hot cup directly with the hands. Some shops may provide clients with a paper cup holder for holding the cup, preventing direct contact of the hands with the cup. However, conventional paper cup holders simply have a barrel-like cup body without handle. A cup holder of this design simply postpones transferring of heat energy from the cup to the user&#39;s hand. The high temperature of the content carried in the up will still be transferred to the user&#39;s hand, causing the user to feel uncomfortable.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a cup holder, which has a scald-preventive handle that effectively reduces transferring of heat energy from loaded cup to the user&#39;s hand. It is another object of the present invention to provide a scald-preventive cup holder, which is made of inexpensive paper material for disposable use. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a scald-preventive disposable cup holder, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.  
           [0006]    To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the scald-preventive disposable cup holder comprises an endless peripheral wall formed of paper material, and a through hole defined by the endless peripheral wall and extending through top and bottom sides thereof, wherein at least one z, 900  -shaped cut is formed in the endless peripheral wall for enabling a part of the endless peripheral wall to be turned outwards from the endless peripheral wall to form at least one handle.  
           [0007]    Further, protruding ribs may be formed on the inner or outer surface of the endless peripheral wall to provide a heat isolation effect. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the collapsed status of a scald-preventive disposable cup holder with two          -shaped cuts at two sides according to the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing one handle turned out of the respective paper sheet material.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 illustrates the cup holder opened for the loading of a cup according to the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3A is a schematic drawing showing a cup holder of double-layer paper material for the loading of a cup according to the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the collapsed status of a scald-preventive disposable cup holder with one          -shaped cut for one single handle according to the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing one handle turned out of the respective paper sheet material.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 shows the open status of the cup holder shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a top plain view of a cup holder with ribs on the outside wall according to the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a front plain view of the cup holder shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a plain view showing a cup held in the cup holder according to the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is a top plain view of a cup holder with ribs on the inside wall according to the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a front plain view of the cup holder shown in FIG. 10.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 12 shows a cup held in a barrel-like cup holder according to the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 13 illustrates the collapsed status of a cup holder formed of two narrow elongated strips of hard paper with extension lugs at both ends of each elongated strip of hard paper according to the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 14 shows the open status of the cup holder shown in FIG. 13.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 15 illustrates the collapsed status of a cup holder formed of two narrow elongated strips of hard paper with one extension lug at one end of each elongated strip of hard paper according to the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 16 shows the open status of the cup holder shown in FIG. 15.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 17 shows the open status of a rectangular cup holder according to the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 18 shows another alternate form of rectangular cup holder according to the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 19 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the cup holder according to the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 19A is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the present invention, showing the folded status of the extension lugs.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 20 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the present invention, showing a single hole formed in the bonded extension lugs for handle.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 21 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the present invention, showing two holes formed in the bonded extension lugs for handle.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 22 is a schematic drawing showing an I-cut on the bonded extension lugs according to the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 23 is a schematic drawing showing a double Y-end cut on the bonded extension lugs according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]    Referring to FIG. 1, two certain thickness paper sheet materials are arranged in a stack and stamped into a cup holder  1  subject to the desired shape. During shape forming, two substantially          -shaped cuts  11  are formed in the cup holder  1  at two opposite sides, thereby forming two handles  13 . Further, two vertical folding lines are formed in the cup holder  1  at two sides and extended to the top and bottom edges of the cup holder  1  for folding. Each handle  13  has one side connected to the cup holder  1  by a connection line  12 , which allows the respective handle  13  to be turned in and out of the respective          -shaped cut  11 , and a finger hole  14 . The finger hole  14  can be made having any of a variety of shapes. When extended out, the finished cup holder  1  is shaped like a tapered stub tube for holding a cup. Further, the bottom edge  10  of the cup holder  1  is smoothly upwardly curved (this will be explained further).  
         [0034]    The two handles  13  are respectively turned out of the respective          -shaped cuts  11  of the cup holder  1  (see FIG. 2), and then the cup holder  1  is extended out (stretched into the three-dimensional operative shape). Alternatively, the cup holder  1  can be extended out before turning the handles  13  out of the respective          -shaped cuts  11  of the cup holder  1 . Thus, a cup  2  can be inserted into the cup holder  1  and rested therein as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9. When using the cup holder  1  to hold a cup  2  containing hot water, the user can hold the handles  13  with the fingers, preventing direct touch of the fingers with the peripheral wall of the cup holder  1  that absorbs heat from the hot water contained in the cup  2 . As indicated above, the cup holder  1  is shaped like a tapered stub tube having a relatively bigger inner diameter in the top side and a relatively smaller inner diameter in the bottom side, it holds the cup  2  firmly in place. Further, because the bottom edge  10  of the cup holder  1  is smoothly upwardly curved, it has a certain prestress for supporting the load of the cup and the contained substance in the cup.  
         [0035]    The cup holder  1  can be made of a double-layer paper material, having the outer layer of the double-layer paper material properly cut to form the desired handles  13  and the inner layer of the double-layer paper material printed with a logo at the location corresponding to the handles  13  (see FIG. 3A).  
         [0036]    According to the second embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS.  4 ˜ 6 , two certain thickness paper sheet materials are arranged in a stack and stamped into a cup holder  1  shaped like a tapered stub tube for holding a cup. During shape forming, one substantially          -shaped cut  11  is formed in the cup holder  1 , thereby forming a handle  13 . The handle  13  has one side connected to the cup holder  1  by a connection line  12 , which allows the handle  13  to be turned in and out of the          -shaped cut  11 , and a finger hole  14 . The finger hole  14  can be made having any of a variety of shapes.  
         [0037]    According to the third embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cup holder  1  has vertical ribs  11  protruded from and equiangularly spaced around the outside wall. The vertical ribs  11  increase the wall thickness of the cup holder  1 . When holding the cup holder  1  with the fingers, the fingers are in contact with the vertical ribs  11 , less heat energy will be transferred from the cup held in the cup holder  1  to the user&#39;s fingers.  
         [0038]    According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS,  10  and  11 , the cup holder has vertical ribs  11  protruded from and equiangularly spaced around the inside wall. The vertical ribs  11  increase the wall thickness of the cup holder  1 . When holding a cup with the cup holder  1 , the vertical ribs  11  support the cup in place, and therefore less heat energy is transferred from the cup held in the cup holder  1  to the peripheral wall of the cup holder  1 .  
         [0039]    Further, corrugated paper material may be used to make cup holders, achieving the desired heat insulation effect. A cup holder can also be made having raised portions protruded from the inside or outside wall.  
         [0040]    According to the fifth embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 12, the cup holder  1  is made having the same inner diameter in the top side as well as the bottom side for holding a cylindrical can food or beverage.  
         [0041]    According to the sixth embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the cup holder  3  is formed of two narrow elongated strips of hard paper. The two narrow elongated strips of hard paper of the cup holder  3  each have two extension lugs  31  at the ends. The extension lugs  31  of the two narrow elongated strips of hard paper are bonded together, forming a respective handle. After bonding of the extension lugs  31 , the two narrow elongated strips of hard paper of the cup holder  3  are stretched into an open status, thereby forming a circular cup holder.  
         [0042]    According to the seventh embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the cup holder  3  is formed of two narrow elongated strips of hard paper. The two distal ends of the narrow elongated strips of hard paper are respectively bonded together. Each narrow elongated strip of hard paper has an extension lug  31  at one end for forming a handle. After bonding of the ends of the two narrow elongated strips of hard paper, the two narrow elongated strips of hard paper are stretched into an open status, thereby forming a circular cup holder.  
         [0043]    Alternatively, the cup holder  3  can be made having a rectangular shape with extension lugs  31  at two sides as shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 18 shows another alternate form of rectangular cup holder according to the present invention.  
         [0044]    According to still another alternate form of the present invention as shown in FIG. 19, the cup holder  3  is formed of a narrow strip of hard paper curved into a barrel-like shape, having two extension lugs  31  respectively extended from the two distal ends and bonded together, thereby forming a handle.  
         [0045]    According to still another alternate forms of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, hole or holes  311  are formed in the bonded extension lugs  31  of the cup holder  3 . Making a cut  312 , for example, a crossed cut (see FIGS. 20 and 21), I-cut (see FIG. 22), or double Y-end cut (see FIG. 23) on the bonded extension lugs  31  and then inserting the finger through the cut  312  form a hole  311  in the bonded extension lugs  31  of the cup holder  3 .  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 19A shows still another alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the cup holder  3  is formed of a narrow strip of hard paper curved into a barrel-like shape, having two extension lugs  31  respectively extended from the two distal ends and bonded together, thereby forming a handle. Each extension lug  31  has a first lug portion  31 A, a second lug portion  31 B, a third lug portion  31 C, and a respective vertical folding line  31 D between the first lug portion  31 A and the second lug portion  31 B and between the second lug portion  31 B and the third lug portion  31 C. Each extension lug  31  is folded inwards along the respective vertical folding lines  31 D to have the first lug portion  31 A and the second lug portion  31 B bonded together and the third lug portion  31 C bonded to the inside wall of the cup holder  3 . Further, the cup holder  3  has a vertical folding line  31 E on the middle remove from the handle (the extension lugs  31 ). Through the vertical folding line  31 E, the cup holder is collapsed into a flat manner.  
         [0047]    A prototype of scald-preventive disposable cup holder has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  1 ˜ 23 . The scald-preventive disposable cup holder functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.  
         [0048]    Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.