Abstract:
One example embodiment is directed to a disposable sleeve for a vehicle cup holder. The sleeve includes a rigid ring portion that includes a horizontal lip or flange, and a flexible, cup-shaped portion that is attached to the ring. Preferably, the bottom surface of the lip and the cup-shaped portion include non-residual adhesive for removably-securing the sleeve to a vehicle&#39;s cup holder. In this respect, if I user spills liquid, food, or other dirt inside the sleeve, the sleeve can be easily removed and replaced.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/633,417 filed Feb. 11, 2012 entitled Automobile Cup Holder Disposable Sleeve, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Most modern vehicles come equipped with cup holders that allow a driver or passenger to safely store their beverage cup or mug. While these cup holders are convenient for storing beverage containers, their cup-shape also tends to collect liquid spills, food particles, dust, and other dirt. Since most cup holders are non-removably built into a vehicle&#39;s interior, vacuum cleaners, rags, and brushes are typically used for cleaning. However, the size and shape of these cup holders often prevent these cleaning implements from removing all dirt and liquid stains. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    One example embodiment is directed to a disposable sleeve for a vehicle cup holder. The sleeve includes a semi-rigid ring portion that includes a horizontal lip or flange, and a flexible, cup-shaped portion that is attached to the ring. Preferably, the bottom surface of the lip and the cup-shaped portion include non-residual adhesive for removably-securing the sleeve to a vehicle&#39;s cup holder. In this respect, if a user spills liquid, food, or other dirt inside the sleeve, the sleeve can be easily removed and replaced. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments of the invention are capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a disposable cup sleeve for a vehicle according to the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the disposable cup sleeve of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the disposable cup sleeve of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the disposable cup sleeve of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the disposable cup sleeve of  FIG. 1  within a vehicle cup holder; and, 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a side view of an alternate embodiment of a disposable cup sleeve for a vehicle according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements. 
         [0012]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate various views of a disposable cup sleeve  100  that can be placed in a vehicle cup holder  10 . When the cup sleeve  100  becomes dirty, stained, or damaged, the vehicle owner can simply remove the sleeve  100  and replace it with a new one. In this respect, the vehicle owner is spared the time and hassle associated with merely cleaning the vehicles cup holder, especially if that cup holder is not removable. 
         [0013]    The sleeve  100  includes a top ring member  102  having a horizontal lip  102 A and a vertical tube or ring portion  102 B. Preferably, the ring member  102  is composed of a semi-rigid material such as metal or plastic (e.g., automotive-grade plastic found in the interior of many vehicles). In one example, the ring  102  has an outer diameter within a range of about 3 inches to about 4 inches (e.g., 3, 3.5, or 4 inches). In another example, the ring member  102  has an inner diameter within a range of about 2.5 inches and about 3.5 inches (e.g., 2.5, 3, or 3.5 inches). In another example, the lip  102 A has a width within a range of about 3/16 of an inch and about 5/16 of an inch. Though the ring is shown as being circular, it is considered within the scope of the invention that the ring is custom-shaped to fit the various cup holders of different automobile makes and models. 
         [0014]    The sleeve  100  further comprises a flexible portion  104  that has a generally tubular shape with a closed end and an open end (i.e., forms a generally “cup-shape”). The open end of the flexible portion  104  is connected to the vertical ring portion  102 B via adhesives or other physical connection mechanisms. Preferably, the flexible portion has a diameter matching or similar to the inner diameter of the ring member  102  and a length within a range of about 2.5 inches and about 4 inches. In one embodiment, the flexible portion  104  is composed of a flexible material, such as a flexible plastic (e.g., very-low-density polyethylene or similar polyethylene types) or a paper-based material. In an alternate embodiment, the flexible portion  104  may be composed of a more rigid material (e.g., plastic or cardboard) having a plurality of alternating folds (i.e., accordion-folds) that allow the portion  104  to compress to a smaller size against the ring member  102 . 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the sleeve  100  can be a fixed size. In another embodiment, the sleeve  100  may be configured to change diameter to accommodate different sized cup holders. For example, as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the top ring member  102  may variably accommodate different diameter cup holders via a vertical cut  102 C or opening through the lip  102 A and ring portion  102 B. The flexible portion  104  may also have a gap or opening aligned with the cut  102 C, such as the inverted triangle-shaped opening  104 A (see  FIG. 2 ). This opening  104 A can extend along only a portion of the height of the flexible portion  104  (e.g., about 1.5 inches) or can extend along most or even all of the height of the flexible portion  104 . 
         [0016]    In the case of cup holders having a larger diameter than the diameter of the ring member  102 , the ring  102  can be opened to better match the cup holder. Conversely, the ends of the ring  102  formed by the cut  102 C can be moved together or overlapped to accommodate cup holders with a smaller diameter than that of the ring  102 . Optionally, the ring  102  may include a locking adjustment mechanism (not shown) located near the cut  102 C to maintain the ring  102  in a desired diameter. For example, the ring  102  may include a ratcheting mechanism similar to those used on cable ties. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the sleeve  100  includes adhesive  106  on one or more of its surfaces to help maintain the sleeve  100  within a vehicles cup holder  10  during use. In one example shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the sleeve  100  includes adhesive on a bottom surface of the lip  102 A and on the bottom surface of flexible portion  104 . The adhesive  106  may be located on smaller discrete areas as shown in the Figures or may located over the entire lip  102 A and portion  104 . Preferably, a non-residual adhesive may be used, such as super tack adhesive. 
         [0018]    The ring  102  and flexible portion  104  may have matching or different colors selected from a variety of popular car interior colors (e.g., black, red, grey, beige). In one embodiment, the ring  102  and flexible portion  104  are colored to match an interior color scheme of a specific vehicle (e.g., the sleeve may be packaged with labeling that indicates that the sleeve matches the color scheme of a particular make, model, year, and interior color of a vehicle). In this respect, a vehicle owner may purchase sleeves  100  colored specifically for their make, model, year, and interior colors of their vehicle. Similarly, vehicle manufacturers can provide a purchaser of a new vehicle with matching sleeves  100  for a specific car at purchase. 
         [0019]    In use, the user removes any protective film covering the adhesive  106  on the surfaces of the sleeve  100  and then inserts the sleeve  100  into the vehicle cup holder  10 . The adhesive  106  maintains the bottom of the lip  102 A with the surrounding surface of the cup holder and the portion  104  with the bottom surface of the cup holder  10 . 
         [0020]    Once soiled or damaged, the user may remove the sleeve  100  from the cup holder  10  and replace it with a new sleeve  100 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 6  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the sleeve  200  which includes a plurality of flexible portions  204  that are all removably-attached to the ring member  102  (e.g., perforations or an easily separable adhesive). Optionally, each of these flexible portions  204  include adhesive on their lower surface to adhere them to the next flexible portion  204 , much like “sticky notes”. When one of the flexible portions becomes soiled or damaged, the user can remove one of the layers from the sleeve  200 , exposing the clean flexible portion layer beneath it. 
         [0022]    Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.