Patent Publication Number: US-11659945-B2

Title: Single-serve beverage cup

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation and claims benefit of U.S. nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/834,245, filed Mar. 30, 2020, entitled “Single-Serve Beverage Cup, which is a continuation of U.S. nonprovisional application Ser. No. 15/861,481, filed Jan. 3, 2018, entitled “Single-Serve Beverage Cup,” now U.S. Pat. No. 10,638,862, issued May 5, 2020, which claims benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/442,304, filed Jan. 4, 2017, entitled “Cup;” U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/525,525, filed Jun. 27, 2017, entitled “Cup;” and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/542,937, filed Aug. 9, 2017, entitled “Cup;” each of these applications incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cup. More particularly, the invention relates to a single serve beverage cup, including a single serve beverage cup for wine and cocktails, and methods of filling the cup. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Single serve beverage containers for wine are known in the art. For example, single serve beverage containers for wine include a base, a stem and a bowl for containing the wine. Such containers are not suitable for certain activities including at outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events as they do not fit into cup holders, they tip over easily and are subject to breaking at the stem. Other single serve beverage containers for wine are known such as pouches. Such containers are not attractive and are not particularly palatable when drinking a fine wine. Accordingly, there is a need in the market for a single serve beverage cup for wine which is easy to grasp; is stable and not subject to tipping over or breakage; is aesthetically pleasing; is easy to drink from; is easy to manufacture and fill; and provides additional benefits over the known containers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine which is suitable for a person to enjoy wine similar to drinking from a fine wine glass. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine which is stable and not subject to tipping over. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine which is easy to grasp for both men and women having different size hands. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine which is easy to grasp and precludes heating of the wine by a person&#39;s hand. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine which is easy to manufacture and fill, including providing the required head space in the cup after the cup is filled with wine. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine which includes an outer package and an inner package. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine having a base portion which appears frosted and may include a brand logo. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine which includes a base having an opening in its underside which provides a number of benefits including allowing the cooling of wine in a cooler or using the open area in the base for storage of a material. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a single serve beverage cup for wine having a bowl area for receiving a cover for storage of the wine wherein the bowl area has a diameter greater than the diameter of the base of the cup, and wherein the cover may be used as a coaster for the cup. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a cup having a base which holds a miniature liquor bottle. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a cup having a base which holds a miniature liquor bottle and a bowl which is filled with a cocktail mix such that the liquor bottle may be removed from the base and the liquor poured into the cocktail mix to provide a cocktail. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is providing a single serve beverage cup which may be filled on a conventional wine filling line. 
     Another primary object of the present invention is providing a single serve beverage cup for wine and a method of filling the cup with wine. 
     The cup of the invention comprises a base, a bowl, a seal and a cover. The diameter of the base decreases from the base bottom wall to the bottom of the bowl. The bowl increases in diameter from the bottom of the bowl to the top of the bowl. The base includes an open area in the base. The seal may be, but is not limited to, an induction heat seal. 
     The cup of the invention further comprises a base, a bowl, a seal and a cover. The diameter of the base decreases from the base bottom wall to the bottom of the bowl. The bowl increases in diameter from the bottom of the bowl to the top of the bowl. The base includes an open area in the base. The bowl may include a punt allowing for, among other things, control over the volume of liquid in the cup and the head space in the cup. The seal may be, but is not limited to, an induction heat seal. 
     The cup of the invention further comprises a base, a bowl, a seal and a cover. The diameter of the base decreases from the base bottom wall to the bottom of the bowl. The bowl increases in diameter from the bottom of the bowl to the top of the bowl. The base includes an open area in the base. The bowl may include a cavity for receiving a miniature liquor bottle for making a cocktail. The bowl may include a cocktail mix for mixing with the liquor in the miniature liquor bottle. The base includes a closure to retain the miniature liquor bottle in the cup. The seal may be, but is not limited to, an induction heat seal. 
     The cup of the invention further comprises an outside packaging and an inside packaging. The outside packaging preferably covers the entire cup and may include product information such as a brand, logo, information on the contents of the cup and similar information. When the cup is to be used, the outside packaging is removed and there is an inside packaging providing information concerning, among other things, the contents of the cup and branding information. 
     The invention further includes a cup having an aperture in the bottom of the bowl for filling a beverage into the cup in a conventional filling line such as a wine filling line. 
     These primary and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following detailed description of the specific non-limiting embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structures are indicated by like reference numbers. 
       Referring to the drawings: 
         FIG.  1    is a side elevational exploded perspective view of the cup of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of the cup of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a top view of the cup of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a bottom view of the invention of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-section taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  6 A  is a side elevational view of the invention of  FIG.  1    showing a cover on the cup and an outer package surrounding the cup. 
         FIG.  6 B  is a view of the cup of  FIG.  6 A  having the outer package removed from the cup and showing an inner package of the cup. 
         FIG.  6 C  is a top perspective view of the cover as shown in  FIG.  6 A . 
         FIG.  6 D  is a top perspective view of the cover as shown in  FIG.  6 C  with a brand on the cover. 
         FIG.  7    is an alternative embodiment of the cup similar to  FIG.  1    and having a punt base. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-section of the cup of  FIG.  7    taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG.  7   . 
         FIG.  9    is another embodiment of the invention showing a perspective view of a cup having a cavity for receiving an article such as a miniature liquor bottle. 
         FIG.  10    is a side view of the cup of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  11    is a cross-section of the cup of  FIG.  10    taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG.  10    without the miniature liquor bottle. 
         FIG.  12    is another alternative embodiment of the invention showing a cup similar to  FIG.  1    in cross-section and having an opening in the bottom of the bowl for filling the wine and receiving a cork after the wine is filled into the cup. 
         FIG.  13    is an alternative embodiment to FIG.  12  wherein the wine is filled from the bottom of the bowl of the cup and has a screw cap as opposed to a cork. 
         FIG.  14    shows the cup of  FIG.  12    having the cover attached to the cup and without the cork and inverted for filling with wine in a conventional wine filling system and thereafter inserting a cork. 
         FIG.  15    shows a cup similar to  FIGS.  7  and  8    having a punt base in the bottom of the bowl and having an opening for filling wine into the cup in a conventional filling line and then inserting a cork. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is directed to a single serve beverage cup. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a single serve beverage cup for wine or a cocktail. The invention will be described herein with respect to a single serve cup for wine or a cocktail. However, it is understood that the invention may be useful with other beverages or contents. 
     Single serve containers for wine have become popular among consumers, especially consumers of fine wines. For example, some people wish to have a glass of wine and do not wish to open a whole bottle of wine which may not save well over time. Additionally, single serve containers for wine have become popular at events such as concerts and sporting events. Consumers of single serve containers for wine, however, desire to have a container having the attributes of a wine glass in order to more fully enjoy the experience of sipping the wine. The single serve cup must, therefore, be easy to open and sip the wine from. The lip of the cup must be such that the wine may be enjoyed, e.g. there are no threads on the cup lip interfering with the sipping of the wine. Similarly, the wine cup must be easy to hold and feel comfortable in the user&#39;s hand. The wine cup should be easy to grasp below the bowl of the cup such that it is easy to sip the wine, and the person&#39;s hand need not grasp the bowl of the cup thereby heating the wine making the wine less pleasing to drink. The cup must also be such that when used at outdoor events it will be stable and not tip over, may fit into a cup holder, will not break at the stem, and the lip of the cup allowing for comfort in sipping the wine. Similarly, the dimensions and weight of the cup must be such that it is sufficiently heavy to make the cup sturdy and similar to drinking out of a wine glass. The present invention addresses these various aspects of a single serve beverage cup, including for wine and cocktails. 
       FIGS.  1 - 6    disclose one preferred embodiment of the single serve beverage cup of the present invention. It is understood that the cup may have varying dimensions in size without departing from the scope of the invention as discussed below. The invention will first be described primarily with respect to  FIGS.  1 - 6   .  FIGS.  7  and  8    show a further embodiment of the invention.  FIGS.  9 ,  10  and  11    illustrate a still further embodiment of the invention.  FIGS.  12 - 15    illustrate a manner of filling the cups of  FIGS.  1 - 8    from the bottom of the bowl of the cup in a conventional wine filling line. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 - 6   , the single serve beverage cup  20  includes a base  22 , a bowl  24 , an opening  26 , a seal  28  and a cover  30 . The cup  20  is filled with wine in accordance with manufacturing standards and generally 187 milliliters, comparable to a quarter bottle of a 750 milliliter bottle of wine. There is approximately 0.4 inches to 0.57 inches head space between the cover  30  of the cup and the inside of bowl  24 , a presently preferred head space being about 0.55 inches. Once the wine is filled, the cup  20  is sealed with a seal  28  and a cover  30  as described in further detail below. 
     The cup  20  includes a base  22  having a bottom wall  40 , a side wall  42 , an opening  44  and a top wall  46  which is the outside portion of the bottom of the bowl  24  as discussed below. 
     In a presently preferred embodiment, the base  22  of the cup may have the following dimensions: a height from the bottom wall  40  to the top wall  46  in the range of about 1.340 to 1.344 inches; a diameter at the bottom wall in the range of about 2.25 to 2.35 inches. The diameter of bottom wall  40  is smaller than the diameter at the top wall or lip  54  of side wall  50  of bowl  24 . Accordingly, the diameter of the base  22  decreases from the bottom wall  40  of the base to the top region  46  of the base. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the opening  44  may provide a number of functions. For example, when the cup  20  is unopened and stored in a cooler, the ice or the ice water in the cooler will enter the opening  44  and cool the wine. In the alternative, the base  22  may serve as a storage space for another item; e.g.: (1) a piece of chocolate candy for eating when drinking a red wine; or (2) a liquid such as alcohol to provide a “shot” in the base for a “double” fill; or (3) a miniature liquor bottle (e.g. one shot) wherein the cup bowl may contain a cocktail mix and the liquor from the liquor bottle is taken from the base and mixed with the cocktail mix (in such case the bottom of the cup bowl may be configured to receive the liquor bottle, e.g. the neck of the liquor bottle extending upward into the molded bottom of the cup bowl or the molded bottom of the cup bowl may include means to engage and fixedly secure the bottle to the cup bowl such as male and female threads or a tongue and groove mechanism). As discussed below,  FIGS.  9 - 11    show the invention with a miniature liquor bottle. In such instances, the base  22  may include a closure at the bottom wall  40  (not shown) to hold the material such as candy or a liquid or a liquor bottle or any other item, e.g. a charm to be placed on the cup base. Similarly, as shown in  FIG.  6 B , the base  22  may be frosted in the region generally referred to as  22 A to give the appearance of a frosted container; or when an item is stored in the base, hiding the visibility of the item; or may include a brand or logo or combinations thereof; or a combination of the above. 
     Bowl  24  includes side wall  50 , a bottom wall  52 , and a top wall or lip  54 . Lip  54  is preferably made of a thin dimension, e.g. to simulate drinking out of a wine glass for the greater enjoyment of the wine. Lip  54  is also constructed and arranged to receive seal  28  after the cup  20  is filled with wine. In a presently preferred embodiment, the bowl  24  of the cup may have the following dimensions: a height from the bottom wall  52  to the top wall  54  in the range of about 2.70 to 2.90 inches; and a diameter at the top wall  54  in the range of about 2.80 to 2.90 inches. The diameter at top wall  54  is greater than the diameter at the bottom wall  40  of base  22 . 
     In a presently preferred embodiment, the cover  30  and a foil seal  28  is sealed to the bowl  24  by induction sealing means. More specifically, the foil seal  28  is an induction sealing foil which is attached to the underside of the cover  30 . Cover  30  is sealed to bowl  24  by induction sealing. In this process, cover  30  is placed on bowl  24  and pressed onto the container under pressure. It is understood, however, that other materials may be used for the seal such as plastic or paper when not using an induction sealing process. In another preferred embodiment, cover  30  may snap onto the cup, for example, by having a rib in cover  30  and groove in the outside of bowl  24  (not shown) or vice versa. Other known snap-on members and/or closure members may be used for connecting the cover  30  with foil  28  to bowl  24 , e.g. by friction fit. While not presently preferred, a screw cover may be used, preferably where the screw threads on the bowl do not interfere with sipping the wine. 
     Cover  30  as shown, for example, in  FIGS.  1 ,  6 C and  6 D , is attached to bowl  24  of cup  20  as described above. The cover  30  may include a top wall  32  and side wall  34 . In a presently preferred embodiment cover  30  includes a recessed portion  35  having an annular shoulder  37 . The recessed portion may include a textured area  38  as shown in  FIG.  6 C . The textured area  38  may further include a logo and brand name  39 , e.g. GOGO™, as shown in  FIG.  6 D . 
     The cup  20  is preferably made of a polymer material, a preferred polymer being a polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) material. A preferred PET material may include oxygen inhibitors to preserve and/or extend the wine shelf life. The PET material gives the cup a feeling of a glass container; may be transparent; will not break; and is recyclable. Additionally, the preferred PET material provides a barrier which limits the oxygen penetration and provides for a longer shelf life for the wine. A preferred weight of the cup is in the range of 68 to 75 grams, a preferred weight being 72 grams. This provides a delicately balanced weight to provide a sturdy container while at the same time providing the consumer with a pleasant experience in drinking the wine, similar to drinking from a fine wine glass. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the bowl  24  at top wall  54  is larger than the diameter of the base  22  at bottom wall  40 . A preferred diameter of bowl  24  is about 2.83 inches and a preferred outside diameter of the base  22  is about 2.34 inches. In such cases, the cover  30 , when removed, may be used as a coaster for placing the base  22  on the underside of the cover  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  6 A and  6 B , the cup  20  is covered with a package  60 , e.g. a wrapping material. The wrapping  60  is preferably shrink wrapped onto the cup  20  providing no wrinkles and providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The wrapping  60  may include a brand name and/or brand logo and/or other information. The wrapping  60  shields the wine from light and preserves the integrity of the wine. The wrapping  60  may cover a portion of cover  30 . When the cup is ready to be opened, the wrapping  60  is removed. In a preferred embodiment and as shown in  FIG.  6 B , underneath the wrapping  60 , cup  20  includes a second package  62  which includes a brand name and/or a brand logo and/or the varietal of the wine and/or other information. As further shown in  FIG.  6 B , the cup  20  may also include a frosted portion  22 A having a brand logo  64 . In another aspect of the invention, the brand logo  64  of the base  22  may be raised to provide a grip member for grasping the base when drinking the wine. 
     In a presently preferred embodiment, the cup  20  may be transparent similar to a traditional wine glass. However, the cup  20  may also have a translucent color or opaque color. Additionally, the cup  20  may be multi-colored, e.g. a base  22  of a translucent color and a transparent bowl  24 . Additionally, the cover  30  may be of the same color or different color and may include a design on its underside (not shown) which will be seen when the cover is used as a coaster. 
     In a preferred embodiment, when using the single serve beverage container, the wrapping material  60  is removed from the container and the cover  30  and foil  28  are thereafter removed. The wine is then ready to be sipped and enjoyed. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  7  and  8   , there is shown a presently preferred embodiment of the design of the invention. In this embodiment, there is shown a cup  100  which includes a base  122 , a bowl  124  and an opening  126 . This cup, similar to that in  FIGS.  1 - 6   , may also include a seal  28  and a cover  30  (not shown). The other aspects of cup  100  are substantially similar to cup  20  and are not repeated herein. In this embodiment, the cup  100  further includes a punt base  130  in bowl  124 . The punt base serves a number of functions including allowing the control of the head space for the wine; allowing the wine to be closer to the cover (not shown) which thereby lessens the head space and lessens the amount of oxygen in the single serve wine cup; provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance; provides for ease of filling the cup with wine as the wine hits the cone-shaped top of the punt base and spreads more evenly into the cup; provides more storage in the base  122  of the cup when storage is desired; creates the ability to make a larger cup and carry the same amount of wine as required by United States law and International law; and other additional benefits. The punt base  130  may include indicia such as a brand, a logo and a design (e.g. a diamond shaped punt base) such that the indicia may be seen by the user. The dimensions of cup  100  in a presently preferred embodiment are as follows: the height of the cup is about 4.7 inches; the diameter of the top wall of the bowl is about 2.9 inches; the diameter of the bottom wall of the base is about 2.34 inches; and the punt base may be about 0.83 inches in height. 
       FIGS.  9 - 11    show another preferred embodiment of the cup invention with a miniature liquor bottle. In this embodiment, there is a cup  200  having a base  222 , a bowl  224 , an opening  226  (covered by the cover  230  and foil  228 ), a foil  228 , a cover  230 , a closure  232  and a cavity  234 . The base  222  and bowl  224  are similar to the base  22  and  122  and the bowl  24  and bowl  124  as described above and are not repeated herein except as they differ due to cavity  234  and which will be understood by those skilled in the art. The cavity  234  includes a vertical side wall  236  and top wall  238  adapted to receive liquor bottle  240 . The cover  230  is similar to cover  30  as shown, for example, in  FIGS.  6 C and  6 D . As shown in  FIGS.  9 - 11   , the cup has a closure  232  for enclosing a miniature liquor bottle  240  in the cavity  234 . The closure  232  may include a closure mechanism to hold the closure  232  to the cup  200  such as a tongue in groove mechanism (not shown), friction fit or other closure mechanisms. Additionally, the inside of the closure  232  may have a means for holding the miniature liquor bottle  240  in a non-movable position such as an upwardly extending annular vertical wall  250  adapted to mate with the bottom of liquor bottle  240 . In the alternative, other means may be used to hold the liquor bottle  240  in place including a recessed area in closure  232 , sizing the cavity such that the liquor bottle fits snuggly in the cavity or other similar means. 
     As referred to above, the cup  200  may be used to prepare a cocktail such as a margarita. The cavity  234  may hold a miniature liquor bottle  240  of tequila. The bowl  224  will include a margarita mix MM as shown in in  FIG.  9   . The closure  232  is removed from the cup  200  and the bottle  240  is taken out from base  224 . Thereafter, cover  230  and seal  228  are removed and the tequila is poured into the bowl  224  containing the margarita mix, thereby providing for a margarita cocktail. 
     As referenced above, the cups in  FIGS.  1 - 8    are intended to fill the wine from the top of the cups  20  and  100  and then close the cup, for example, by foils  28  and  128  and covers  30  and  130 . Alternative embodiments of these cups are shown in  FIGS.  12 - 15    wherein the cup may be filled using a conventional filling line for a wine bottle utilizing a cork or screw cap to enclose the cup after the cup is filled. Referring to  FIG.  12   , there is a cup  300  which is substantially similar to cup  20  of  FIG.  1    and is shown in cross-section. Cup  300 , like cup  20 , includes a base  322  and bowl  324  having similar attributes as cup  20  and which are not repeated in detail herein. Cup  300  includes an opening  353  comprising an annular wall  355  in the bottom wall  352  of the bowl  324  for filling the wine and receiving a cork C after the wine is filled into the cup  300 .  FIG.  13    is an alternative embodiment to  FIG.  12    wherein the wine is filled from the bottom of the bowl  324  of the cup and has a screw cap SC as opposed to a cork.  FIG.  14    shows the cup  300  of  FIG.  12    having a cover  330  attached to the cup without the cork and inverted for filling with wine in a conventional wine filling system and thereafter inserting a cork.  FIG.  15    shows a cup  400  similar to  FIGS.  7  and  8    having a base  422  and bowl  424 . The cup  400  is substantially the same as cup  100  and the other aspects of cup  400  will not be repeated in detail herein. Cup  400  includes punt base  430  in the bottom of the bowl  424  and having an opening  453  comprising an annular wall  455  for filling wine into the cup in a conventional filling line and then inserting a cork C. 
     More particularly, referring to  FIGS.  12  and  13   , there is shown a cup  300  having similar attributes as the cup shown in  FIG.  1    and including a base  322 , a bowl  324 , an opening  326 , a seal (not shown) and a cover (not shown). The seal and cover are similar to that shown in  FIG.  1    and described above. The base  322  has a bottom wall  340 , a side  342  and an opening  344  and a top wall  346  which is the outside portion of the bottom of the bowl  324 . The bowl  324  includes a side wall  350 , a bottom wall  352  and a top wall or lip  354 . The cup is first closed with, for example, a foil seal (not shown) and a cover  330 , similar to that shown in  FIG.  1   . Once the cup is closed, the cup is inverted as shown in  FIG.  14    and may be filled by a conventional wine filling system through opening  353  in bottom wall  352 . The opening  353  includes an annular wall  355  for receiving a cork C after the cup is filled as shown in  FIG.  12   . The cup is filled through the opening  353  and thereafter a cork C is inserted into opening  353  to close the cup. When utilizing the single serve cup  300 , the cover  330  is taken off and the seal  28  removed. It is understood that the opening  353  may be of different configurations wherein the annular wall  355  is on the outside of the bowl  324 , or on the inside of the bowl  324  or on both the inside and the outside of bowl  324 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  13   , there is shown an alternative embodiment of the cup  300  wherein the cup is filled with a conventional wine filling system and instead of using a cork to seal the bottom of the cup, a screw cap SC is used. In this instance, the annular wall  355  includes threads for receiving the corresponding threads of the screw cap. By using a conventional wine filling system for the cups shown in  FIGS.  12 - 14   , expense is saved by not having to use a special filling line. 
     Referring to  FIG.  15   , there is shown a cup  400  similar to the cups shown in  FIGS.  7  and  8    having a punt base  430 . The punt base serves one or more of the purposes noted above, including serving to control the dimensions and configuration of the cup while receiving the about 187 ml of wine. This embodiment illustrates closing the cup after filling with a cork C, although a screw cup may be used. Further, this embodiment includes an annular wall  455  for receiving a cork C, similar to as disclosed in  FIGS.  12 - 14   . The cup of  FIG.  15    may be filled similar to as described for the cup of  FIGS.  12 - 14   . 
     The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by any appended claims.