Patent Publication Number: US-2021177172-A1

Title: Temporarily mutually connectable cups for efficiently serving drinks and food

Description:
The present invention concerns cups, mugs or bowls which are temporarily mutually connectable for efficiently serving drinks and food to a group of people, wherein said drinks are all kinds of beverages and said food is mostly granular food, crisps, sauces, soup or yoghurt etc., wherein said cups, mugs or bowls have a straight, staggered or tapered cylindrical shape in vertical direction, wherein said cups, mugs or bowls are provided with or without a handle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The state of the art does not include an effective way to serve large groups of people with cups, mugs or bowls containing drinks or food in bars, outdoor cafes etc. In practice, it is important that one person can serve several people simultaneously with mentioned cups, mugs or bowls. Serving with a tray which contains cups, mugs, bowls, glasses etc. has serious drawbacks, because it requires a tray and properly balancing of the tray. 
     In the patent application CN 201958471 (U), filed Sep. 7, 2011, inventor/applicant Yonglin WEN is represented a utility model for a connectable cup. Said cup consists of a handle, which connects with a groove in the next cup. So, you can connect a row of cups or mugs into a long row or line. This invention has a serious drawback because cups or mugs filled with a liquid can only be lined up to two or three cups, due to the bending strength of the connections. The connection cannot be constructed strong enough to line up more cups. So, in this case, the well-known serving tray is the solution. Lined-up cups or mugs cannot really be served out. Therefore, this solution is not usable in practical serving activities. 
     In the patent application CN107550185(A) connectable cups for lining-up are also described and it has the same drawback for serving a group of people. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     The aim of this invention is to overcome the described drawbacks and to provide a very good usable solution with temporarily mutually connectable cups for efficiently serving drinks and food to a group of people, who sit or stand together, in a very efficient way. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cups or mugs executed for temporary mutual connection are characterized in that for temporary mutual connection said cups possess a hook element, which hook element is integrated in the wall of the cups or which hook element is integrated in the handle of the cups, wherein said hook element has a horizontal width B and a vertical length L, wherein the wall of the cup has a thickness d, wherein the open part of the horizontal cross section of the hook element has a width D, wherein said width D&gt;d, wherein said open cross section ( 43 ) and the handle ( 51 , 52 ) of the cups, mugs or bowls ( 11 , 12 ) have a curvature that corresponds with the curvature of said walls ( 2 ) of the cups, mugs or bowls with a thickness d, wherein several cups, mugs or bowls are connected temporarily and grouped around the circumference of one of the cups, mugs or bowls for serving out efficiently. 
     The advantage is a very usable cup, which proves to be more efficient, time saving and causes less stress for the waiter or waitress. This hook element enables the user to temporarily and mutually connect several cups to and around one single cup. This single cup is placed in the centre of the surrounding cups. Each hook element of each surrounding cup hooks up to the rim of the central cup (see  FIG. 10 ). When lifting only the central cup, all other connected cups will automatically be lifted as well. In this manner, the present invention enables the user to easily pick up, lift, hold, transport and serve several cups, mugs or bowls, with drinks or food at the same time. The user can do this with just one hand and without the need of a serving tray. All the cups, mugs or bowls can be taken in one go. This eliminates the need for going to and from with just a few cups, mugs or bowls. Once the user has taken all the connected cups, mugs or bowls towards the group awaiting their drinks or food, each person can than easily unhook his or hers individual cup, mug or bowl. 
     Furthermore the cups as claim  1  are characterized in that a thumb holding part is provided on the handle on top of said integrated hook element. 
     The advantage is a very stable transport of a set of cups, mugs or bowls. 
     Then the cup, mug or bowl according to the invention is further characterised in that said handles of the cups, mugs or bowls have a massive circular cross section or a U-shaped cross section, which U-shape is preferably tapered in vertical direction and that an integrated hook element is applied at the top of the handles. 
     The advantage is a very good stackable and temporarily mutually connectable cup, mug or bowl especially for use in (fast food) restaurants or bars or at festivals. 
     Furthermore, the cup according to the invention is characterized in that the horizontal width B of said wall integrated hook element is between  1 / 4  and  1 / 10  of the horizontal circumference of the cup wall, preferably being  1 / 8 . 
     The advantage is a very easy and safe temporary mutual connection of said cups, mugs or bowls. 
     Then the cup according to the invention is characterized in that the open part of the horizontal cross section of the hook element has a measurement D of about 1,1 d and that said length L of said wall integrated hook element is between 1 and 3 times that of said wall thickness d, preferably 2 times. 
     The advantages are a very suitable and well to loose cup from the central cup. 
     Furthermore, the cup according to the invention is characterised in that the colour or combination of colours and marks of the cups can be adapted to the company&#39;s use and that said cups are provided with a trademark of the contained beverage or said food and that the colour of said cups are adapted for the individual user. 
     The advantage is a very personal executed cup for companies, beverages, food and individuals. 
     Then the cup according to the invention is further characterized in that the material of the cups with the integrated hook elements is glass, ceramics, plastic, metal, paper or cardboard. 
     The advantage is that these cups can be manufactured in different materials to serve one&#39;s personal use or taste. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing with figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of only two temporarily mutually connected cups according to a first embodiment of the invention with a staggered cylindrical shape completed with a handle; 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view over the line II- 11  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a horizontal cross section over the line of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a top view of a central cup and three temporarily mutually connected cups, all cups are provided with a handle with integrated hook element; 
         FIG. 5  shows a side view over the line V-V of  FIG. 4  of a tapered cylindrical cup with handle with integrated hook element and thumb holding part according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a side view of two tapered cylindrical cups with an integrated hook element and thumb holding part according to another preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  shows a top view of one tapered cylindrical cup over the line VII-VII of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a side view over the line VIII of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9  shows a cross section over the line IX of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 10  shows a top view of seven cups temporarily mutually connected to a central cup for easy serving. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  represents a side view of one central cup  1  with only one other temporarily mutually connected cup  1 . Said cups  1 , 11 , 12  (See also the other figures) have a wall  2  with thickness d. The hand  3  of the waiter or waitress lifts the central cups  1 , 11 , 12 . The temporary mutual connection of the connected cup  1  to the central cup  1  is executed by an integrated hook element  4  with a width B, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The cups  1  have a staggered vertical cylindrical shape and have a handle  5  with a circular cross section with a normal diameter and a thumb holding part  6  at the top executed as shown in  FIG. 1 . The open parts of the horizontal cross section of the hook elements  4 , 41 , 42  have a measurement of about 1,1d=D as shown in  FIG. 3  for sufficient mechanical strength and sufficient disconnection space, wherein d is the wall thickness  2  of the cups (see claim  6 ). The thumb holding part  6 ,  61  is provided with a recess  7  for an extra stable transport of the central cup  1  with the temporarily mutually connected other cups  1 . The width B in  FIG. 3  is preferably ⅛ of the horizontal circumference of the cups  1 ,  2  (see claim  5 ). The length L of the integrated hook element  4  has in practise 2 times the thickness d of the walls of the cups  1 , 11 , 12 . (Also  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). 
     In  FIG. 4  a tapered cylindrical cup  11  and three other temporarily mutually connected cups  11  are shown. The integrated hook element  41  is now integrated in this special handle  51 . 
     In  FIG. 5  a side view of a central cup  11  with some other cups  11  over the line V-V is shown. The same parts have the same numbers. The value of B, D and L are the same as in the  FIGS. 1 to 6 . In cups  11  an internal ring  8  is applied for reasons of stacking and pulling out of a container (not shown). 
     In  FIG. 6  a side view of two stacked tapered cylindrical cups  12  is represented with a special handle  52 , which is provided with a modified integrated hook element  42  and an integrated thumb element  61 . The cross section of the modified special handle  52  is hollow or U-shaped to make the cups ( 12 ) stackable, i.e. in a vertical pull-out container (not shown). More details of the cups  12  are shown in the  FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 . 
     In  FIG. 10  a top view of a fully installed serving system is shown with a central cup  12  and the other temporarily mutually connectable cups  12 . The central cup  12  and the mentioned temporarily mutually connectable other cups  12  are identical in their embodiment. 
     However, is it obvious that modifications and/or additions to the afore described temporarily mutually connectable cups  1 , 11 , 12  can be made, but these shall remain within the field and scope of the invention.