Patent Publication Number: US-2010108686-A1

Title: Two cell cup

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/110,039, same title herewith, filed on Oct. 31, 2008, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     It is common for individuals traveling in vehicles to snack on foods. However, it can be difficult, if not dangerous, to handle food containers while driving. For this reason and for other reasons stated below, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a container that contains foods that is easy and efficient to utilize in a vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The above-mentioned problems of current systems are addressed by embodiments of the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. The following summary is made by way of example and not by way of limitation. It is merely provided to aid the reader in understanding some of the aspects of the invention. 
     In one embodiment, a two cell cup is provided. The two cell cup includes a first cavity housing, a second cavity housing and a first rim. The first cavity housing fauns a first cavity with a first opening. The second cavity housing forms a second cavity with a second opening The first rim is generally circular in shape. Moreover, the first rim partially defines the first and second openings to the first and second cavities. The first and second openings of the first and second cavities are located within the first rim. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention can be more easily understood and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the detailed description and the following figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a two cell cup of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the cup of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the cup of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front side view of the cup of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6A  is a side view of stacked cups of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is a partial cross-sectional side view of area  602  of the stacked cups in  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of a cup of  FIG. 1  with a cover and product inside of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of the cup of  FIG. 1  being positioned in a cup holder of a vehicle of one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of a cup of  FIG. 1  with product inside placed in a cup holder of a vehicle of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters denote like elements throughout Figures and text. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventions may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims and equivalents thereof 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a two cell cup that can among other things be positioned in a cup holder of a vehicle. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a side perspective view of an embodiment of the two cell cup  100  is illustrated. As illustrated, the cup  100  includes a first (main) cavity housing  120  and a second cavity housing  140 . The first cavity housing  120  and the second cavity housing  140  are fanned generally in a truncated cylinder shape that is sized and configured to fit is a standard cup holder of a vehicle, such as, but not limited to, a cup holder found in an automobile, a SUV, a minivan, a truck, a boat, a plane and the like. The first cavity housing  120  forms a first cavity  102 . A first end  107  of the first cavity housing  102  has a first cavity opening  101  to the first cavity  102 . A second end  109  of the first cavity housing  120  includes a support base  110 . The support base  110  is designed to support the cup  100  in an upright position when resting on a surface. The second cavity housing  140  includes a first end  141  that includes a second cavity opening  103  to the second cavity  104  and a closed second end  143 . 
     The cup further includes a circular outer rim  106 . The outer rim  106  is operatively coupled to a portion of the first end  107  of the first cavity housing  120  and a portion of the first end  141  of the second cavity housing  140 . A lip portion  112  further extends radially from the outer rim  106 . Also illustrated in  FIG. 1  is an inner rim  108  that extends across a portion of the outer rim  106  to define the first and second cavities  102  and  104 . In one embodiment, the first cavity housing  120 , the second cavity housing  140 , the outer rim  106 , the inner rim  108  and the lip portion are integrally formed in a mold. Any type of material that can be formed in a mold and exhibits characteristics as described below can be used in this embodiment. In one embodiment, the material used is a styrene block copolymer and crystal styrene blend. In one embodiment the cup  100  is made of a clear material. In another embodiment, the cup is colored. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a top view of the cup  100  is illustrated. As illustrated, the first cavity  102  is separated from the second cavity  104  via rim  108 . Rim  108  is generally in an arc shape, as explained above, that extends across a portion of the outer rim  106 . The shape of the second rim  108  along with the stiffness of the material of the cup prevents the cup from folding up on itself when positioned in a cup holder. As  FIG. 2  further illustrates, the first cavity is formed generally in a crescent shape and the second cavity  104  is generally formed in a triangle shape in this embodiment. In one embodiment the overall diameter of the cup  100 , including lip  112 , is approximately 3.94 inches. However, other diameters are possible and the present invention is not limited to a specific diameter of the cup  100 . Also illustrated in  FIG. 2  is a center line  201  that bisects the cup  100  in half. This illustrates, that a first portion  204  of the first cavity housing  120  and a second portion  206  of the first cavity housing extends beyond a center point  203  of the cup  100 . That is, the first cavity housing  120  extends beyond 180 degrees with respect to center line  201 . This design prevents the cup  100  from tipping over when the base portion  110  is resting on the surface which is further discussed below. Also illustrated in  FIG. 2  is a raised portion  202  in the first cavity housing  120 . In particular, the base  110  of the first cavity housing  120  has a raised portion  202  that allows fluids coming out of products contained in the first cavity  102  to be pooled away from the products. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a side view of the cup  100  is illustrated. As illustrated, the embodiment of the cup  100  the second cavity housing  104  does not have the same depth as the first cavity housing  120 . In particular, in embodiments the second cavity housing  104  is designed to hold dips, sauces and the like for products such as fruits, vegetables and meats held in the first cavity housing  120 . Hence, the cup is designed so that the user can dip the product contained in the first cavity  102  in the sauce or dip of the second cavity  104 . To ensure the product can reach the sauce or dip, the depth of the second cavity  104  is less than the depth of the first cavity  102 . Moreover, the size of the second cavity  104  in relation to the first cavity  102  is selected so that the sauce or dip will not run out before its associated product runs out. In one embodiment, the volume of the first cavity  102  is 10.0 cubic inches and the volume of the second cavity  104  is 1.5 cubic inches. An example height of the cup  100  between the base  110  and rim  106  is approximately 1.93 inches and an example width of the base across the side view is 2.06 inches. These dimensions are just examples, the present invention is not limited to a specific dimensions. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of the cup  100 . This view also illustrates that the second cavity housing  140  is not as deep as the first cavity housing  120 . An example width of the base  110  across the front view is approximately 2.91 inches. A cross-sectional view along line  5 - 5  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . This illustration further illustrates the raised portion  202  in the base  110  of the first cavity housing  120 . Also illustrated in  FIG. 5  is that rim  106  and rim  108  are on the same plane. This allows for a cover to effectively seal the contents of the first cavity  102  from the contents of the second cavity  104  as further discussed below. An example height of the second cavity housing  140  of approximately 1.05 inches is also provided. As with the prior examples of dimensions, the present invention is not limited to specific dimensions. Further illustrated in  FIG. 5  is ridge  302  that extends around a parameter of the cup proximate the first end  107  of the first cavity housing  120  and the first end  141  of the second cavity housing  140 . Ridge  302  helps in separating stacked cups  100 . Two stacked cups  100   a  and  100   b  are illustrated in  FIG. 6A . A close up view of section  602  is illustrated in  FIG. 6B . As illustrated in  FIG. 6B , when stacking cups  100   a  and  100   b  ridge  302  of cup  100   a  engages rim  106  of cup  100   b  thereby spacing lips  112  of the cups  100   a  and  100   b  apart from each other. This allows for easy separation of stacked cups  100   a  and  100   b.    
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a cup  100  containing a product  704  in the first cavity  102  and a dip or sauce  706  in the second cavity  104  is shown. In one embodiment a removable cover  702  is used to seal the contents  704  and  706  in the cup  100 . In one embodiment a gas exchange system is used that seals the cover  702  on the rims  106  and  108  to maintain the contents freshness and keeps contaminates away from the product. In one embodiment, a pealed seal surface is used on rims  106  and  108  so that the cover can be pealed off when ready for use. As discussed above, the rims  106  and  108  are in the same plane so that a single cover seals the contents of the first cavity  102  from the contents of the second cavity  104 . In particular seal  701  seals the cover  702  with rim  106  and seal  703  seals rim  108  thereby separating the contents of the cavities  102  and  104  from each other. 
     An illustration of a cup  100  being positioned to be placed in a cup holder  804  of a portion  802  of a vehicle is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . As illustrated, the cup  100  is aligned with the cup holder  804  and then placed in the cup holder  804 . A cup  100  with a content is placed in cup holder  804  is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . As illustrated, the lip  112  of the cup  100  engages a surface around the cup holder  804  to prevent the cup  100  from falling into the cup holder  804 . Hence, at least the lip  112  has a larger diameter than the diameter of the cup holder  804 . The shape of the inner rim  108  (which as discussed above is generally in the form of an arc that extends across portion of the outer rim  106 ) and the stiffness of the material prevent the cup from folding up on itself and falling into the cup holder. 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.