Abstract:
The improved low cost cup and container for storing and dispensing liquids has a scoop-like or glug-reducing separator that separates the volume of the container into two sections, the liquid storage section and the liquid pouring section. It resists spilling and pours more smoothly than prior containers. When the improved cup and container is tilted for pouring, such that the liquid level inside the storage section of container chamber is higher than the liquid level at the mouth opening of the liquid pouring section, no liquid pours out of the container. The liquid starts to flow out of the mouth opening only after the container is tilted beyond a predetermined start-to-pour angle. The start-to-pour angle is reached when the container is tilted permitting the outside air to pass through the pouring section and into the storage section. The improved container can use two covers or a scoop-like-separator-adapter. The scoop-like-separator is attached to the cover or the adapter mounted to the top of the container with no connection to the side-wall and blocks at least a portion of a projection of the opening into the container storage section.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The field of the invention is cups and other containers for dispensing a liquid and more particularly, is containers for dispensing a liquid with a smoother pour and/or with reduced spilling. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Man has used containers for storing and dispensing liquids for millennia. However, containers still have their problems. For example, full cups of soda and hot coffee sold in fast food restaurants being consumed in moving cars have caused many spilling accidents. Although these cups may be equipped with sealing lids with small mouth openings, spilling mishaps are still very common. Serious burns or a moving car accident may result from a very hot coffee spill. Therefore, there is a need for an improved low cost disposable cup and container, which ideally does not spill while drinking and, realistically is spill-resistant. 
   When pouring liquid from a container, the same volume of air should enter the container to replace the liquid being poured out. A phenomenon referred to as “glugging” occurs when the liquid is poured more quickly from the container than air can enter the container. Glugging occurs when too much liquid tries to flow out of the container and there is not enough room available in the outflow passageway for air to enter into the container to replace the volume of the out-flowing liquid. When this happens, a partial vacuum is created inside the container that momentarily stops liquid from flowing out. Once the liquid flow stops, air starts to enter the container and when the incoming air has eliminated the partial vacuum, the liquid can resume its out flow. This intermittent and repeated liquid flowing and stopping is referred to as “glugging” and makes the pouring unstable, undesirable and less smooth. Glugging is also a major cause of spills. Therefore, there is also a need for a container, which reduces the glugging effect. 
   On the market, some container designs have a hollow handle molded near the mouth opening of the container. An air vent passageway is provided between the mouth opening and the hollow handle so that a separate air vent is provided. The air from the mouth opening travels down the vent passageway, through the hollow handle, and into the container to help reduce glugging. However, a full container may spill easily when tilted slightly, a further improved container, which better eliminates spilling and glugging and improves the smoothness of the liquid flow is needed. 
   This inventor has developed a number of spill-resistant containers; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,098,850; 6,374,541; 6,460,741; and 6,758,375; using a hydrostatic principle in achieving the spill-resistant feature. The present invention simplifies the design and allows a scoop-like-separator to be made as either an integral part of the container or as separate parts of the container easily assembled such as container covers. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The improved cup and container for storing and dispensing liquids has an internal separator, that in a preferred embodiment, is a scoop-like separator. The improved container resists spilling and pours the liquid more smoothly. The scoop-like-separator may include an optional vent hole or a number of small holes for reducing “glugging” further. When the cap of the cup is equipped with a mouth piece, this vent hole will allow for air to enter the cup while the mouth opening is covered by the mouth and allowing the liquid to be sucked out more smoothly. 
   Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. However, like parts do not always have like reference numerals. Moreover, all illustrations are intended to convey concepts, where relative sizes, shapes and other detailed attributes may be illustrated schematically rather than literally or precisely. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional side view of an example embodiment of the spill-and-glug-resistant cup including an ordinary body of the cup, an upper cover, and a lower cover having a scoop-like-separator. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of the top view of the spill-and-glug-resistant cup taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional side view of the upper cover (without the lower cover and the body) of the spill-and-glug-resistant cup taken along line B-B of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of the bottom view of the lower cover (without the upper cover and the body) of the spill-and-glug-resistant cup taken along line C-C of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of the side view of the lower cover of the spill-and-glug-resistant cup taken along line D-D of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of the spill-and-glug-resistant cup of  FIG. 1  rotating in counter-clockwise direction in three different angles from the vertical position  1  to the start to pour position  3  through intermediate position  2 . 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional side view of another example embodiment of a spill-and-glug-resistant container. The body of this example is a container formed by a folded carton box similar to those being sold in the market. An adapter with a mouth opening with built-in scoop-like-separator is sealingly attached to the carton box by a flange. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of the top view of the adapter with the mouth opening and the scoop-like-separator without the carton box body of the spill-and-glug-resistant container taken along line E-E of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic representation of the side view of the adapter with the mouth opening and scoop-like-separator of the spill-and-glug-resistant container taken along line F-F of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of the cross-sectional side view of a preferred example embodiment of a spill-and-glug-resistant cup  10 , which is referred to as a scoop-separated container. The heavy dark line shown in this drawing and all following drawings represent the cut walls of the container.  FIGS. 1-5  illustrate various views of a substantially circular container  10  (the circular shape of the body of the container as illustrated here serves only as an example because it can be in many other shapes and forms). A removable upper cover  20  has a pouring mouth opening  15  and an optional vent hole  17 . A removable lower cover  25  contains a scoop-like or glug-reducing separator  30 . In each of the embodiments, the scoop-like separator can be made flat, curved, concave, or convex, for example. The body of the circular cup  40  has the side-wall  45  and the bottom  50 . The scoop-separated container  10  is assembled by covering the body of the circular cup  40  with the lower cover  25  and then the upper cover  20 . The scoop-like-separator  30  in the lower cover  25  acts as a partition dividing the scoop-separated container  10  into a pouring section  60  and a storage section  70  communicating through the opening of the scoop-like-separator  30  at the interface opening area  75  and a vent opening area  80 . The storage section  70  of the scoop-separated container  10  has no opening to the outside ambient air except through the interface opening area  75  and the vent opening area  80 . The vent opening area  80  can be as small as a pinhole, a number of small holes or as large as being connected to the interface opening area  75  and formed as a one large opening area (as shown in this example). When pouring liquid out from the scoop-separated container  10 , liquid in the storage section  70  flows through interface opening area  75  into pouring section  60  and then out of mouth opening  15 . At the same time, outside air enters the scoop-separated container  10  through the mouth opening  15 , or through the optional extra vent hole  17 , into the pouring section  60  and then through the vent opening area  80  into the storage area  70  to replace the volume of liquid being flown out. When the scoop-separated container  10  is tilted in the counter-clockwise direction (as illustrated in this figure and better shown in  FIG. 6 ), the mouth opening  15  has a lowest point  85  and the vent opening area  80  on the scoop-like separator  30  has an apex  90 . Connecting the lowest point  85  and the apex  90  with a straight line forms a start-to-pour line X-X. The angle between the start-to-pour line X-X and the horizontal line Y-Y is the start-to-pour angle X. For example, the start-to-pour angle can be designed to be greater than 45 or 60 degrees or any other angles based on user&#39;s preference. The usage of this start-to-pour line X-X will be described later. 
   The addition of the vent hole  17  in the upper cover  20  will enable the pouring of liquid further smoother especially when the mouth opening  15  is made in the form of a mouth piece such that a drinker&#39;s mouth may cover the entire mouth opening  15  while sucking liquid out from the scoop-separated container  10 . Preferably, the location of this optional vent hole  17  should be located within the enclosure of the scoop-like-separator  30  (more clearly shown in  FIG. 2 ) and far away from the lowest point  85 . 
   There is an optionally raised or lowered portion  100  of any suitable shape and size in the upper cover  20  that acts as a register key with a mating raised or lowered portion  105  in the lower cover  25 . This allows the placing of both covers onto the body of the cup  40  to always have the same matched relative location and form the same predetermined start-to-pour line X-X and therefore a predetermined start-to-pour angle X. The top cover  20  has a circular lip  110  which can be sealingly snap onto a mating circular lip  115  of the lower cover  25  after the lower cover  25  is sealingly snap onto the lip  120  of the body of the cup  40 . 
     FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of the top view of the scoop-separated container  10  of  FIG. 1  taken along line A-A. Viewing from the top of the scoop-separated container  10 , it is clearly shown that the scoop-like-separator  30  surrounds the mouth opening  15  and separates the pouring section  60  from the storage section  70  communicated only by the interface opening area  75  and the vent opening area  80 . In this view, the scoop-like-separator  30  surrounding and blocking at least a portion of a projection of the mouth opening  15  into the container storage section  70 . 
     FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional view of the upper cover  20  without the lower cover  25  and the body of the scoop-separated container  10  along line B-B in  FIG. 1 . Ignoring any special features, the rest of this upper cover  20  is similar to most low cost disposable cup covers currently used by the public. The optional vent hole  95 , however, is better located within the projected enclosure of scoop-like-separator  30  and far away from the lowest point  85  (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). In the preferred embodiment, the circular lip  110  around the edge of the upper cover  20  snaps sealingly onto the circular lip  115  of the lower cover  25  instead of the lip of the cup  120 . 
     FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of the bottom view of the lower cover  25  without the upper cover  20  and the body of the scoop-separated container  10  along line C-C in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of the side view taken along line D-D of  FIG. 4 . This lower cover  25  contains the separator  30  which is a critical component that makes the improved scoop-separated container  10  achieve its intended spill-and-glug-resistant function. This lower cover  25  has a full circular sealing lip  115  like the upper cover  20 . In this embodiment, the scoop-like-separator  30  has a concave scoop-like surface formed in the direction away from the upper cover  20 . This concave scoop-like-separator combined with the assembled upper cover forms the volume of the pouring section  60 . This lower cover  25  can be easily and very inexpensively manufactured like the upper cover  20  by thermal vacuum forming from a thin plastic sheet or other very low cost methods. The use of two covers instead of one combined cover makes it possible to manufacture the covers with very low cost methods such as the thermal vacuum forming. This scoop-like-separator  30  does not connect to any part of the side-wall of the scoop-separated container  10 . 
   An alternate single cover that combines the essential components of both upper and lower covers  20  and  25  will also make the container work. However, the process of making this combined cover cannot be made by thermal vacuum forming and is more difficult and may require higher costs. Another method of making this combined cover is to sealingly assemble the scoop-like-separator  30  to the combined cover. The scoop-like-separator  30  provides a small volume of pouring section  60 . This pouring section  60  is sealingly isolated to the storage section  70  of the scoop-separated container  10  by the wall of the scoop-like-separator  30  with the only interface opening area  75  and the vent opening area  80  as the communicating area. 
     FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of the scoop-separated container  10  of  FIG. 1  rotating in counter-clockwise direction in three different angles from the vertical position  1  to the start to pour position  3  through intermediate position  2 . At position  1  the full scoop-separated container  10  has a liquid level line A in the liquid storage section  70  and a liquid level line B in the liquid pouring section  60 . When the scoop-separated container  10  is tilted from position  1  to position  2 , the liquid level line A in the liquid storage section  70  is moved to liquid level line A′ and the liquid level line B in the liquid pouring section  60  is moved to liquid level line B′. At this position the start-to-pour line X-X changed to line X′-X′ and the angle X reduced to X′. The liquid level line B′ in the pouring section  60  is lower than the lowest point  85  in the mouth opening  15  and higher than the apex  90  at the scoop-like-separator  30 . Because at this tilting angle, the liquid level line B′ stops outside air from entering the vent opening area  80  into the liquid storage section  70 . Due to partial vacuum created inside the storage section  70  liquid inside the storage section  70  cannot flow out of the mouth opening  15 . This allows the liquid level A′ in the storage section  70  to be higher than the mouth opening  15  without allowing the out flow of liquids and thus preventing the spilling of liquid. When the scoop-separated container  10  is tilted further from position  2  to position  3 , the liquid level line A in the liquid storage section  70  tilted to liquid level line A″ and the liquid level line B in the liquid pouring section  60  tilted to liquid level line B″. The start-to-pour angle X is reduced from X to X″ or zero degrees. The start-to-pour line X″-X″ is now parallel to the horizontal line Y-Y and is in line with the liquid level line B″ in the pouring section  60 . At this tilting angle, the liquid level line B″ is in line with the lowest point  85  in the mouth opening  15  and the apex  90  at the scoop-like-separator  30 . At any slight increase in tilting angle, outside air will start to enter from the mouth opening  15  into the pouring section  60  and through the vent opening area  80  at the apex point  90  into the storage section  70 . Once air starts to enter the storage section  70 , the partial vacuum inside the storage section  70  is lost and the liquid inside the storage section  70  will start to pass through the interface opening area  75  into pouring section  60  and pour out of the mouth opening  15 . When the vent opening area  80  is large and connected with the interface opening area  75 , there is no distinct separation of the liquid flow area and the vent area, the proportion sizes of these two areas may change depending on the tilting angle or the rate of pouring of the liquid from the container. When pouring a liquid from a container, the same volume of air must enter the container to replace the volume of liquid being poured out. A phenomenon referred to as “glugging” occurs when the liquid is poured more quickly from the container than air can enter into the container. Glugging occurs when too much liquid tries to flow out of the container and there is not enough room available in the outflow passageway for air to enter into the container to replace the volume of the out-flowing liquid. When this happens, a partial vacuum is created inside the container that momentarily stops liquid from flowing out. Once the liquid flow stops, air starts to enter the container and when the incoming air has eliminated the partial vacuum, the liquid can resume its out flow. This intermittent and repeated liquid flowing and stopping is referred to as “glugging” and makes the pouring unstable, undesirable, less smooth and easy to spill. The separate vent opening  80  with a pointed notch at the apex location helps to guide a steady small amount of incoming air in a more smooth and less-interrupted manner through the vent opening area  80  at the apex point  90  to further reducing the glugging. The use of an extra vent hole  17  in the upper cover  20  allows air to enter the pouring section  60  from other than the mouth opening  15  which may be covered by the mouth of a drinker will improve the glugging further. 
     FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional side view of another example embodiment of a preferred spill-and-glug-resistant container. The body of this example embodiment is a container formed by folding a single sheet of carton paper into a carton box  210  which is the same as the carton box containers being sold in the market. This rectangular carton box has four side-walls  215 , a bottom  220 , two slopped top panels  225  and two slanted connecting panels  230 . To improve the pouring of this standard carton box container, an adapter with a mouth opening  235 , a built-in scoop-like-separator  240  and a mounting flange  245  are sealingly attached to a cutout hole in one of the top panel  225  of the carton box  210 . Like the example container depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 , the built-in scoop-like-separator  240  separates the volume of the carton box  210  into a pouring section  250  and a storage section  255  communicating with each other by an interface flow area  260  and a vent opening area  265 . The vent opening area  265  can be as small as a pinhole, a number of small holes or as large as being connected with the interface flow area  260 . The mouth opening  235  has a lowest point  270  when it is tilted for pouring the liquid. The opening(s) in the built-in scoop-like-separator  240  has an apex  275  in the vent opening area  265 . The straight line connecting the lowest point  270  and the apex  275  forms the start-to-pour line X-X. The angle between the start-to-pour line X-X and the horizontal line Y-Y is the start-to-pour angle X. 
     FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of the top view of the mouth opening  235  with a built-in scoop-like-separator  240  and the mounting flange  245  without the body of the spill-and-glug-resistant container, the carton box  210  of  FIG. 7  taken along line E-E.  FIG. 9  is a schematic representation of the side view of the mouth opening with the built-in scoop-like-separator  240  of  FIG. 8  taken along line F-F. The interface area  260  is represented by the shaded areas shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 .