Patent Publication Number: US-2010116835-A1

Title: Cup cuff

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Cup holder, cuff or sleeve. Current paper cups used at most coffee houses do not insulate, are hot to hold and can burn fingers and hands, also have no handle. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The Cup Cuff insulates and provides a handle that allows the cup to be held without burning fingers or hands. It is also intended to be reusable, collapsible, easily transportable, durable, and insulating, with a sleeve that easily allows application of designs and/or advertising. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWING 
       Sheet  1  of  4 —Front view of Cup Cuff 
       Sheet  2  of  4 —Top view of Cup Cuff 
       Sheet  3  of  4 —Bottom View of Cup Cuff 
       Sheet  4  of  4 —Side View of Cup Cuff 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The Cup Cuff is a one-piece slightly tapered, conical cylinder open on the top and bottom allowing a typical paper coffee cup to be inserted into the cup cuff that will provide a sleeve around 360 degrees of the cup providing insulation and protection at the same time providing a handle to hold on to the cup. 
     The Cup Cuff has three components: the sleeve, the intermediate strip and the handle. The sleeve fits around the inserted cup and is tapered so as to not allow the conical/cylindrical cup of appropriate size and diameter to not fall through. The intermediate strip provides an attaching point for the handle and the sleeve. The handle provides a convenient opening for the holder&#39;s finger. 
     The handle is a solid one-piece rubber or rubber material in a “C” shape that is not less than 0.2610 inch thick, with an opening radius of 0.6915 inch and a total height of 1.905 inches. The handle is centered and attached to the intermediate strip. 
     The intermediate strip would consist of a 0.5740 inch wide reinforced solid rubber strip, 0.1255 inch thick and 2.521 inches in height to support the weight of the beverage container. The handle and intermediate strip are attached to the sleeve. 
     The sleeve which wraps around the outer walls of the beverage container held therein, would have an outer diameter of 3 inches at the top of the sleeve, an outer diameter of 2.694 inches at the bottom, a height of 1.683 inches and a thickness of 0.125 inch. Having a difference in diameter will be slant the top edge inward to the bottom edge of the sleeve to form an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve such that the diameter of the band along the top edge of the sleeve is greater than the diameter of the sleeve along the bottom edge. The sleeve will be made of flexible rubber or fabric material with thin flexible plastic sewn between two fabric materials. 
     The material used to construct the sleeve, intermediate strip and handle will absorb, contain and/or insulate the variable temperatures of the beverage container and contents. The sleeve is collapsible when not being used for storage and transportation, and able to withstand breaking upon impact. 
     CLAIM OR CLAIMS 
     A reusable, collapsible, easily transportable, durable, insulating, conical, cylindrical cup holder, cuff or sleeve that insulates, protects and provides a handle and a sleeve that easily allows application of designs and/or advertising. 
     ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A beverage container handle is disclosed, fabricated from sheet material, such as rubber with rubber or fabric with rubber includes any biodegradable material or any other recyclable material. The handle comprises a cylindrical portion for receiving a beverage container and a “C” shaped handle portion. Both of these portions are fabricated from the same single continuous sheet. A Method of manufacturing the container handle includes handle members that are continuous with the cylindrical portion that wraps around the outer walls of a container held therein. Thus the handle is uniquely rigid, providing the user with a sense of firmness. A person using the handle need not have direct contact with the beverage container held therein, thus increasing his or her comfort level. Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing and compacting the handle for easy storage and access of the invention.