Abstract:
A thermally insulated collapsible cup for hot or cold beverages. The collapsible cup includes a flexible inner liner and a multi-segmented outer shell including a top segment, a base segment, and one or more intermediate segments. Each segment of the outer shell includes an insulation layer adhered thereto. An integral rubber sleeve extends around the periphery of each intermediate segment. The flexible inner liner extends from the top to the bottom of the collapsible cup and is secured and sealed at the bottom of the base segment and at the rim of the top segment. In an expanded configuration, internal screw threads at the bottom of the top and intermediate segments engage external screw threads on the adjacent segment there below and thereby maintain the cup in an expanded configuration. The screw threads can be unscrewed in order to convert the cup to a collapsed configuration.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to containers and particularly to a an insulated drinking container for hot or cold drinks that includes a rigid outer shell and a flexible inner liner that enables the container to be folded or collapsed when not in use to enable more efficient storage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Hot beverages, such as coffee or tea, are consumed by people on a daily basis. Many people frequently visit convenience stores or specialty coffee shops in order to obtain their favorite hot beverage. Although these stores provide disposable cups for the hot beverages, many of them sell their hot beverages at a lower price if the customer provides their own container. Thus many regular coffee drinkers carry their own hot beverage containers into the store in order to obtain their drink at a lower price. After being filled, many hot drink containers are carried into the workplace or the home where they are then stored and used in those locations. Over a period of time, a large number of hot drink containers tend to accumulate in the home or the office. 
         [0003]    One problem that arises with the accumulation of a large number of hot drink containers is the large amount of space that is required to store the containers. In current times, many of these hot drink containers are quite a large size and require a significant amount of shelf space during storage. 
         [0004]    It would therefore be beneficial to reduce the amount of shelf space taken up by hot or cold beverage containers. Although collapsible containers have been proposed in the prior art, many are for dry food storage items such as powders and others do not include the ability to thermally insulate the materials held within. 
         [0005]    Thus, what is needed is a drink container that will keep hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold while in use and that also can be reduced in size to conserve shelf space when not in use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to the present invention, there is provided a thermally insulated collapsible cup for hot or cold beverages. The thermally insulated collapsible cup includes a flexible inner liner and a multi-segmented outer shell including a top segment, a base segment, and one or more intermediate segments. Each segment of the outer shell includes an insulation layer adhered thereto. An integral rubber sleeve extends around the periphery of each intermediate segment. The flexible inner liner extends from the top to the bottom of the collapsible cup and is secured and sealed at the bottom of the base segment and at the rim of the top segment. In an expanded configuration, internal screw threads at the bottom of the top and intermediate segments engage external screw threads on the adjacent segment there below and thereby hold the cup in an expanded configuration. The screw threads can be unscrewed in order to place the cup in a collapsed configuration. The flexible liner is a liquid-tight inner liner that holds liquid therein in both the collapsed and expanded configurations. The insulation layers in each segment thermally insulate any liquid within the liner, maintaining the temperature of hot liquids or cold liquids within the inner liner and mitigating heat transfer to the outer shell thereby protecting the hands of a user while operating the cup. 
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
       [0007]    Several advantages are achieved with the thermally insulated collapsible cup of the present invention, including:
       (1) The collapsible cup of the present invention is thermally insulated, thereby maintaining hot liquids or cold liquids at the desired temperature.   (2) The collapsible cup of the present invention can be folded into a significantly smaller size for storage thereby greatly reducing the amount of required storage space.   (3) The collapsible cup of the present invention maintains its shape when expanded to its unfolded state.   (4) As the liner is molded in one-piece, the collapsible cup of the present invention is capable of supporting liquids in both the collapsed and expanded configurations.   (5) The collapsible cup includes rubber sleeves for providing proper friction for the hand and for controlling the speed at which the cup converts from the collapsed to the expanded configuration.   (6) A screw thread locking mechanism prevents unintentional collapsing of the cup.       
 
         [0014]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following description along with reference to the drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a thermally insulated collapsible cup in its expanded configuration according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the collapsible cup of  FIG. 1  after it has been folded or collapsed into a compact size for storage. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the collapsible cup of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the collapsible cup taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the left hand side of the top segment of the collapsible cup of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a detailed view of the left hand side of the bottom segment of the collapsible cup of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the collapsible cup in the collapsed configuration of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the collapsible cup taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the collapsible cup including a lid secured to the top of the cup. 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a sectional view of the collapsible cup taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a side view of two collapsible cups according to the present invention each in the collapsed configuration and stacked upon one another for storage. 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the bottom portion of a collapsible cup according to the present invention depicting an alternative arrangement for anchoring the inner liner to the base outer shell segment. 
       
    
    
     TABLE OF NOMENCLATURE 
       [0027]    The following is a listing of part numbers used in the drawings along with a brief description: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Part Number 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 20 
                 collapsible cup 
               
               
                 22 
                 base outer shell segment 
               
               
                 24 
                 top outer shell segment 
               
               
                 26 
                 intermediate outer shell segment 
               
               
                 28 
                 tubular sleeve 
               
               
                 30 
                 interior volume 
               
               
                 32 
                 rim of top segment 
               
               
                 34 
                 inner side of outer shell segment 
               
               
                 36 
                 outer side of outer shell segment 
               
               
                 38 
                 top of rigid outer shell segment 
               
               
                 40 
                 bottom of rigid outer shell segment 
               
               
                 42 
                 tubular insulating layer 
               
               
                 44 
                 flexible inner liner 
               
               
                 46 
                 base portion of inner liner 
               
               
                 48 
                 screw threads at bottom of outer shell segment 
               
               
                 50 
                 screw threads at top of outer shell segment 
               
               
                 52 
                 inturned wall portion 
               
               
                 54 
                 outer periphery 
               
               
                 56 
                 peripheral flange of top outer shell segment 
               
               
                 58 
                 top portion of liner 
               
               
                 60 
                 peripheral groove 
               
               
                 61 
                 throat of liner 
               
               
                 62 
                 screw threads in throat 
               
               
                 63 
                 inner periphery of base segment 
               
               
                 64 
                 peripheral flange on base segment 
               
               
                 66 
                 peripheral groove in base portion of liner 
               
               
                 68 
                 inner periphery of sleeve 
               
               
                 70 
                 screw threads on sleeve 
               
               
                 72 
                 inward extending lower leg of sleeve 
               
               
                 74 
                 lid 
               
               
                 76 
                 hinge 
               
               
                 78 
                 flip up cover 
               
               
                 80 
                 outer periphery of tubular sleeve 
               
               
                 82 
                 indent in sleeve 
               
               
                 84 
                 closed bottom of base segment 
               
               
                 86 
                 pin 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    With reference to a first and preferred embodiment in  FIG. 1 , the present invention is a thermally insulated collapsible cup  20 . The collapsible cup  20 , depicted in its expanded configuration in  FIG. 1 , includes a plurality of rigid interlocking tubular outer shell segments including a base segment  22 , a top segment  24 , and one or more intermediate segments  26 . The collapsible cup  20  includes a tubular sleeve  28  secured around the lower outer periphery of each intermediate segment  26 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the collapsible cup  20  can be folded or collapsed into a collapsed configuration wherein the top segment  24  is collapsed around the outer peripheries of the intermediate segments  26  and base segment  22  in which collapsed configuration the tubular sleeves  28  are in contact with one another. The collapsible cup  20  is liquid-tight in both the expanded and collapsed configurations and is thermally insulated thus maintaining the temperature of liquids within the cup. Thus, with reference to  FIG. 3 , the interior volume  30  of the insulated collapsible cup  20  will keep hot liquids hot or cold liquids cold for a substantial amount of time. 
         [0030]    Referring to the sectional view of the collapsible cup  20  in the expanded configuration in  FIG. 4 , the top outer shell segment  24  includes a rim  32  and each interlocking outer shell segment  22 ,  24 , and  26  includes an inner side  34 , an outer side  36 , a top  38  and a bottom  40 . A tubular insulating layer  42  is provided on the inner side  34  of each of the outer shell segments  22 ,  24 , and  26 . The collapsible cup  20  further includes a flexible inner liner  44  that extends from the rim  32  to the bottom  40  of the base segment  22 . The entire flexible inner liner  44  including a thick base portion  46  is molded in one piece of food grade silicone rubber, which is approved by the FDA for direct food contact. Thus the inner liner  44  forms a continuous liquid-tight liner around the entire inner periphery of the collapsible cup  20 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the top segment  24  and intermediate segments  26  each include screw threads  48  on the outer sides  36  at the bottom  40  of the outer shell segment and the base segment  22  and intermediate segments  26  each include complementary screw threads  50  on the outer sides  36  at the top  38  of the adjacent outer shell segment. Thus screw threads  48  at the bottom  40  of a rigid outer shell segment  24  and  26  can be threaded onto complementary screw threads  50  of the adjacent segment  22  and  26  there below in order to lock the respective rigid segments with respect to one another and thereby lock the collapsible cup  20  into the expanded configuration. 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIG. 5 , the top outer shell segment  24  includes an inturned wall portion  52  adjacent the rim  32 . The inturned wall portion  52  includes an outer periphery  54  and a peripheral flange  56  extending outward from the outer periphery  54  of the inturned wall portion  52 . The one-piece molded flexible inner liner  44  includes a top portion  58  with a peripheral groove  60  therein extending around its outer periphery. The peripheral flange  56  of the top outer shell segment  24  extends into the peripheral groove  60  of the top portion  58  of the inner liner  44  thereby securing the top portion  58  of the inner liner  44  to the top outer shell segment  24 . The inner liner  44 , being constructed of soft silicone rubber, seals around the rim  32  of the top outer shell segment  24 . Preferably, the inner liner  44 , constructed of food grade silicone rubber, has a Shore A hardness rating of 0. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the top portion  58  of the inner liner  44  wraps around the entire top of the top outer shell segment  24  including the rim  32 . The top portion  58  of the liner  44  includes a throat  61  and may include screw threads  62  in the throat  61 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the bottom  40  of the base outer shell segment  22  includes an inner periphery  63  and a peripheral flange  64  extending inward from the inner periphery  63 . The base portion  46  of the flexible inner liner  44  further includes a peripheral groove  66  therein. The peripheral flange  64  of the base outer shell segment  22  extends into the peripheral groove  66  of the inner liner base portion  46  thereby securing the liner base portion  46  to the base outer shell segment  22 . As the base portion  46  of the liner  44  is an integral portion of the one-piece molded liner  44 , the collapsible cup  20  will be liquid-tight at the bottom of the cup. 
         [0034]    As further shown in  FIG. 6 , each tubular sleeve  28  includes an inner periphery  68  and screw threads  70  on its inner periphery  68 . The screw threads  70  of the tubular sleeve  28  engage the screw threads  50  at the top  38  of each intermediate outer shell segment  26  thereby locking the tubular sleeves  28  to the intermediate outer shell segments  26 . The tubular sleeves  28  further include an inward extending lower leg  72  that is in contact with the outer side  36  of the outer shell segments  22  and  26 . The lower legs  72  of each sleeve  28  provides friction against the respective outer shell segment  22  and  26  that it is in contact with and thus controls the rate of expansion of the collapsible cup when expanded from the collapsed configuration, as shown in  FIG. 8 , to the expanded configuration as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . Preferably, the integral tubular sleeves  28  are constructed of silicone rubber. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the collapsible cup  20  may further include a lid  74  threaded into the screw threads  62  in the throat  61  of the flexible inner liner  44 . The lid  74  in  FIGS. 9-10  includes a hinge  76  and a flip up cover  78  pivotally attached and rotatable within the hinge  76  to provide access to the chink stored within the collapsible cup  20 . Although one specific embodiment of a lid  74  is shown herein, other conventional lids are within the scope of the invention for use with the collapsible cup  20  including lids with sliding covers, pop up nozzles, holes with tubes extending there through, and snap on lids rather than lids with screw threads. 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the tubular outer shell segments  22 ,  24 , and  26  of a collapsible cup  20  according to the present invention are of steadily decreasing diameter from the top outer shell segment  24  to the base outer shell segment  22 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in the expanded configuration when each outer shell segment is turned counterclockwise with respect to the next lower segment, screw thread  48  on the bottom of the segment will disengage from screw thread  50  on the top of the next lower segment and the collapsible cup  20  will fold to the collapsed configuration as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0037]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , the inward extending lower legs  72  of the tubular sleeves  28  will exert friction on the base segment  22  and the sleeve  28  it is in contact with and function to hold the cup in the collapsed configuration. The cup in the collapsed configuration includes the base outer shell segment  22  nested within the intermediate outer shell segments  26  and the intermediate segments  26  within the top outer shell segment  24 . Flexible inner liner  44 , being molded in one-piece of rubber and secured tightly at the top rim  32  and to the peripheral flange  64  on the base outer shell segment  22 , is liquid-tight in both the expanded and collapsed configuration. The entire inner volume  30  of the collapsible cup  20  is bound by the inner liner  44 . 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , the integral sleeves  28  of the collapsible cup  20  include an outer periphery  80  and an indent  82  in the outer periphery  80 . The indent  82  functions to hold the collapsible cup is in the collapsed configuration. As the top  24  and intermediate  26  segments are collapsed toward the base segment  22 , the inward extending lower legs  72  of the upper sleeves  28  engage the indents  82  of the lower adjacent sleeve and stop the collapse of the outer shell segments. 
         [0039]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , each of the tubular insulating layers  42  are preferably secured to the outer shell segments  22 ,  24 , and  26  with adhesive. The tubular outer shell segments  22 ,  24 , and  26  are preferably constructed of metal or plastic. The tubular insulating layers  42  are preferably constructed of polyurethane. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 11 , a significant advantage realized with the collapsible cup  20  of the present invention is that two or more cups can be stacked in order to save shelf space. In  FIG. 11 , two collapsible cups  20  according to the present invention are depicted in the collapsed configuration and stacked one upon another for storage. 
         [0041]    With reference to  FIG. 12  there is shown an alternative arrangement for anchoring the flexible inner liner  44  to the base outer shell segment  22 . In the alternative embodiment of the collapsible cup the base segment  22  includes a closed bottom  84  and an integral pin  86  extending from the bottom. The flexible inner liner  44  is molded in one piece with an opening in the base portion  46  of the inner liner  44  to accommodate the pin  86 . The flexible inner liner  44  is secured to the base segment  22  by placing base portion  46  over pin  86 . With pin  86  secured within the base portion  46  of the liner  44 , the flexible inner liner  44  of the collapsible cup can rotate about pin  86  and also remain liquid-tight. 
         [0042]    As the invention has been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Any and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.