Patent Publication Number: US-9845173-B2

Title: Vessel and method for making the same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of, and claims priority from, U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/942,916 filed Jul. 16, 2013, and titled “Vessel and Method for Making the Same” and naming Peter Herman as inventor, which claims priority from U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/813,840 filed Jun. 11, 2010 and titled “Vessel and Method for Making the Same” and naming Peter Herman as inventor, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,505,807, and from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/186,458, filed Jun. 12, 2009, and titled “Vessel and Method for Making the Same” and naming Peter Herman as inventor, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to vessels and methods of making the same, and more particularly to drinking vessels composed from flexible materials. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     It is known in the prior art to provide disposable liquid containers such as paper cups. These cups are generally coated with a substance that prevents the paper container from absorbing or leaking the liquid contained therein. Furthermore, in the restaurant arena, such as fast food restaurants, coffee shops, etc., a separate lid, for example a plastic lid, is provided as a complement to such cups in order to help prevent spillage of a hot beverage, for example. The lids are often plastic lids and some have an opening for insertion of a straw while others form a narrow opening conducive to direct user consumption. 
     However, since these cups often come in a variety of sizes, a restaurant or coffee shop will generally be required to stock lids in multiple sizes to complement the variety of cup sizes. Accordingly, providing consumers with a variety of cup sizes in the form of devices known in the prior art requires the use of separate items (i.e. the cup and corresponding lid), generally made of different materials and further requires coordination and assembly of these items prior to serving a patron. Furthermore, more organizations are on a quest to provide more environmentally safe products such as 100 percent recyclable cups, which may be harder to facilitate with cups made of different materials than their corresponding lids. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a first embodiment of the invention there is provided a vessel that includes a sheet of flexible material, cut, rolled, and affixed to form a frusto-conically shaped base region. The sheet, when rolled, also includes an upper region having two opposing flaps. Each flap is delineated from a remaining portion of the sheet by a path along which the sheet is scored. The flaps, when folded along their respective paths, define a single elevated drinking portion having a spout formed between an extension of the base region and at least one of the two flaps. 
     One of the two flaps may be an outer flap and the other flap may be an inner flap such that the outer flap overlies the inner flap when the two flaps are folded. The outer flap has a first edge shaped to coincide, when the flaps are folded, approximately with the path of scoring in the inner flap. The outer flap may also include a closure tab formed as part of the sheet. The closure tab protrudes from a scored line along the first edge of the outer flap. The scored line permits the closure tab to be folded to overlie a portion of the base region. The closure tab may also be removably attachable to the portion of the base region and may include an adhesive layer. 
     The inner flap includes a second edge shaped to coincide, when the flaps are folded, approximately with the path of scoring in the outer flap. The inner flap optionally includes an opening tab formed as part of the sheet. The opening tab protrudes from a second scored line along the second edge of the inner flap. The second scored line permits the opening tab to be folded along the second line to protrude upwardly from a plane of a surface of the inner flap. The upwardly protruding opening tab facilitates unfolding of the inner flap after it has been folded. 
     The outer flap and the inner flap are also shaped to define, when the flaps are folded, a vent opening in an upper region of the vessel opposite the spout. 
     In a related embodiment, the vessel includes a bottom formed from a second sheet of material, affixed in an opening of the base region, to enable the vessel to retain a liquid placed therein via an opening in the upper region existing when the flaps are unfolded. The bottom is generally circular. The bottom may be formed from material that is a part of the first sheet of material. The bottom may also be folded into a circular flat-bottomed surface having a circumferential wall wherein the circumferential wall is adhered to an interior portion of the base region. 
     In another related embodiment, the vessel includes a dam disposed on at least one of the opposing flaps to restrain contents of the vessel from flowing between the flaps and escaping from the vessel. The dam may include at least one engaging pair of embossments in the material of the flaps. The dam may include a bead of a second material. 
     Another embodiment of the present includes a vessel having a frusto-conical portion and a covered spout. The frusto-conical portion and the spout are formed from a single sheet of material. The covered spout is formed by folding a pair of flaps constituting a part of the sheet and the vessel is stackable when the flaps are unfolded. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of making a vessel that includes cutting a sheet of flexible material, scoring, rolling and gluing the sheet into a vessel having a frusto-conically shaped base region. The vessel will also include an upper region having two opposing flaps. Each flap is delineated from a remaining portion of the sheet by a path along which the sheet is scored. The flaps, when folded along their respective paths, define a single elevated drinking portion having a spout formed between an extension of the base region and at least one of the two flaps. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing features of the invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a drinking vessel in a closed configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1  with one flap open and one flap closed. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1  in an open configuration. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a sheet of flexible material used to form the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 5-7  illustrate different sized bottoms for the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 11  is back view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 12  is another side view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     Definitions. As used in this description and the accompanying claims, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless the context otherwise requires: 
     To “affix” a sheet of material is to form a connection between that sheet and another surface. Such a connection may be created using an adhesive layer applied between overlapping portions, or spanning adjacent portions, of the sheet and the other surface being connected. The connection may alternatively, or in addition, be achieved by crimping, fusing, or welding of the sheet to the other surface, under conditions, for example, including the application of one or more of pressure and heat. 
     A “covered spout” of a vessel is a spout formed by material of the vessel defining and completely surrounding an aperture, so that when the spout is inserted in the mouth of a user in use of the vessel for drinking, the lips of the user may come into contact with the material over a full 360-degree angular extent of the material disposed around the periphery of the aperture. 
     A “frusto-conical” shape includes a shape similar to a frustum of a cone, including, for example, a pyramidal section having rounded edges, so as to approximate a frustum of a cone. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a drinking vessel in a closed configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The drinking vessel  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is characterized by a frusto-conical base  101 . The frusto-conical base allows the user to grasp vessel  100  in a comfortable manner and allows the vessel to be easily maintained within a cup holder, for example within an automobile. Vessel  100  includes a top or cover formed from two overlapping flaps. In the current view, flap  103  is visible since it is the outer flap in this embodiment. The vessel has an elevated drinking portion that includes a drinking spout  104 . The overlapping flaps form a portion of drinking spout  104 . The drinking spout is configured so that when the spout is inserted in the mouth of a user in use of the vessel for drinking, the lips of the user may come into contact with the material over a full 360-degree angular extent of the material disposed around the periphery of the aperture. The spout allows the user to easily drink from the cup, but helps prevent spillage of a beverage contained in the vessel. Unlike a traditional gable top milk carton, such as that provided in U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,349 which can be opened to form a spout for pouring, the vessel of the current invention is designed so that a user may completely surround the aperture in the spout with her lips when consuming the contents of the vessel. 
     The overlapping flaps also form a portion of an air relief aperture  105 . Flap  103  includes a closing tab  102  in this embodiment. Closing tab  102  is formed as an integral part of the sheet from which the vessel is formed and protrudes from an edge of flap  103 . The sheet includes a scored line  124  at the intersection of closure tab  102  and flap  103  to facilitate folding of the tab. The tab may include an adhesive on the side adjacent to the base when folded in order to help maintain the cover in a closed configuration. 
     Flap  103  also includes central score lines  106  and straight outlying score lines  126  in this embodiment. Central score lines  106  may be preformed into flap  103  in order to facilitate folding the flap into a closed configuration that accommodates the geometry of the vessel. In particular, the central score paths  106  delineate a relatively planar region  120  therebetween, and paths  106  delineate ascending regions  121  and  122  outside of flat region  120 . 
     When flap  103  is folded into the closed position, tab  102  will overlie a portion of the base region. In an embodiment wherein the tab includes an adhesive, the tab will adhere to the portion of the base region that it overlies. The adhesive on the tab will have a level of tackiness that allows the tab to remain connected to the base region of the vessel when pressed against the base. However, the adhesive will also allow the tab to be released upon application of sufficient force by a user. 
     The vessel demonstrated in  FIG. 1  will generally be made of a flexible material such as paper. However, other embodiments may be provided in which the vessel is composed of other flexible materials that are suitable for forming into a vessel that is capable of containing liquids and has a structure similar to vessel  100 . In embodiments where the vessel is composed of a material such as paper, the vessel may be coated on one or both sides with a waterproofing coating such as wax or polyethylene. Furthermore, the coating may be applied before or after the vessel is formed from a blank. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1  with one flap open and one flap closed.  FIG. 2  further demonstrates how the flaps overlap one another. In  FIG. 2  flap  103  is unfolded and flap  113  is folded. As illustrated, flap  113  may also include a tab  112 . Tab  112  facilitates re-opening flap  113  after flap  113  has been folded down into a closed position. Tab  112  prevents the need to grasp the edge of flap  113  that is adjacent to unfolded flap  103  when attempting to open flap  113 . To open flap  113  a user simply grasps and pulls extended tab  112 , which is folded along path  125 . 
     The formation of drinking spout  104  and air relief aperture  105  are further demonstrated in  FIG. 2 . Flaps  103  and  113  each form a portion of both drinking spout  104  and air relief aperture  105 . Drinking spout  104  and air relief aperture  105  are opposite one another in the upper region of the vessel. Accordingly, tilting vessel  100  for consumption of a beverage contained therein through spout  104 , moves the beverage away from the air relief aperture, thereby lowering the possibility that liquid will flow through the air relief aperture while a user is consuming the contents of the vessel. In some embodiments, the vessel may include a cover for drinking spout  104 . 
     Each of flaps  103  and  113  may include a dam  127  on either or both the drinking spout end of the flap and the air relief end of the flap. The dam assists in preventing contents of the vessel from migrating between the flaps and escaping from the vessel. Such migration may be caused by sloshing of the contents in the course of moving the vessel or merely by using of the spout for drinking from the vessel. Dams  127  may be formed by adhering a continuous or dashed bead of a separate material, which may be biodegradable, such as polylactic acid or polylactide, to one or both flaps to cause adhesion of the flaps to one another or at least to provide an impediment to flow of contents between the flaps. Alternatively, dams  127  may be created using at least one engaging pair of embossments in the surface of the flap material along a path. For example, one or more protuberances or impressions or both may be embossed in the material of the flaps along such a path, by stamping, scoring or other methods used to raise or lower the surfaces of the material. The embossments may be designed so that a hill in one flap nestles into a valley of the other flap. Alternatively, or even in addition, embossments may be provided so that a hill in one flap is immediately adjacent to a hill in the other flap. In each case the embossments are engaged with one another. Furthermore, the protuberances and impressions may be formed in a staggered pattern of circular or other geometrical shapes or a single shape that extends the entire length of the path demonstrated by dam  127 . A dam created by altering the surface of the flap material, or made using a separate bead of material, may be formed in a complimentary fashion on flaps  103  and  113  such that when the flaps are overlapped into the closed configuration demonstrated in  FIG. 1  the formations interlock with one another. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1  in an open configuration. Vessel  100  has both flaps  103  and  113  in unfolded positions in  FIG. 3 . The flaps, which oppose one another, are more clearly seen in this configuration as an integral part of the vessel walls. Each flap extends directly from the frusto-conical base portion  101 . As shown, tabs  102  and  112  of each respective flap may incorporate a distinct shape in some embodiments. The distinction may signal which flap should be folded first or which flap is the interior flap and which is the exterior flap. Such a signal may incorporate the use of some additional indicia or marking on the tabs or flaps. 
     When both of the flaps of the vessel are unfolded, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , successive vessels may be stacked on one another. Such stacking permits compact storage of a large number of vessels and facilitates easily retrieving a single vessel from such a stack. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a sheet of flexible material used to form the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . As illustrated, the outline of the vessel is an asymmetric design formable into a vessel, having a frusto-conical shape with a flat bottom, and which also includes a top. To form the vessel, the outline may be cut along the periphery, scored along paths  118 ,  106 , and  126 , rolled, and affixed. In the illustrated embodiment, the outline includes a tab  117 . Tab  117  is secured to the opposing edge of the outline when the outlined vessel  100  is removed from the sheet and is rolled or formed into the configuration demonstrated in  FIG. 1 . The tab may include an adhesive layer for attaching the tab in a manner that forms a leak free barrier. The bottom edge  110  of the outline forms the base of the vessel  100 . Edge  110  is in the shape of an ellipse, which allows the vessel to have a substantially flat base when formed. Paths  106 ,  118 , and  126  may be scored prior to formation of the vessel to guide folding of the vessel into the proper configuration. When the vessel is rolled and the flaps are both closed, the outer edge of each flap coincides with the scored path  118  on the opposing flap. Tab  401  folds down to reinforce the spout  104 . 
       FIGS. 5-7  illustrate different sized bottoms for the drinking vessel. The bottom, generally circular, may have a different diameter based on the dimensions of the vessel. For example, to increase the volume of the vessel the dimensions may be altered and the bottom may have a larger diameter.  FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom for a 12 oz. vessel, while  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate bottoms for 10 and 8 oz vessels respectively. The bottom of the vessel may be affixed in the opening in the lower region of the frusto-conical base portion  101  when the sheet is rolled. This enables the vessel to retain a liquid placed therein via an opening in the upper region of the vessel when the flaps are unfolded. In some embodiments, the bottom may be a part of the same sheet forming the vessel. 
       FIGS. 8-13  illustrate different views of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 8  is a top view of the drinking vessel. In this figure the drinking spout  104  and the air relief aperture  105  are visible. As demonstrated, the drinking spout and the air relief aperture are located at opposing extremities of vessel  100  and are formed from the folding flaps, of which flap  103  is visible. The folded flaps also form an integral cover for vessel  100 . The scored paths  106  of each flap are substantially aligned with the scored paths  106  of the opposing flap when the flaps are folded close. 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of the drinking vessel. The front in this description refers to the side having the elevated drinking portion and the drinking spout  104 . Furthermore,  FIG. 9  demonstrates sample dimensions for adapting the vessel to alternative volumes. The adaptations include an alteration in the length of the sidewalls of the container and the diameter of the bottom.  FIG. 9  also schematically illustrates fold-down tab  401  which reinforces the spout. 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . The side view illustrated in this figure shows the vessel from the side with tab  102  of the outer flap on the outside of the vessel. As further illustrated in this profile view, the drinking spout  104  is formed similar to cups that facilitate sipping a beverage through a narrow opening.  FIG. 12  is another side view of the drinking vessel  100  from the side opposite the side shown  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 11  is back view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . In the embodiment illustrated, the air relief aperture  103  is at a lower elevation, relative to the base of the vessel, than the drinking spout  104 . Furthermore, seam  107 , as shown in the illustration, represents the overlap of tab  117 , shown in  FIG. 4 , with the opposing edge of vessel  100 . 
       FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the drinking vessel of  FIG. 1 . Once a bottom is secured to the opening in the base region  101  of vessel  100 , for example by gluing, the vessel will be able to contain liquids placed therein without leakage. 
     The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be merely exemplary; numerous variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in any appended claims.