Abstract:
An insulating sleeve combination for a frusto-conical beverage cup having an outer peripheral surface is disclosed, as well as a method of use thereof. The combination includes an opaque frusto-conical inner sleeve and a frusto-conical outer sleeve. At least a portion of the outer sleeve is transparent or translucent, such that indicia on the inner sleeve is visible or at least partially visible therethrough. The outer surface of the outer sleeve may includes a textured gripping surface, facilitating the manual grasping of the combination by the user. As such, a customized inner sleeve may be marked to indicate a favorite drink of the user, for example, with the markings being visible through the outer sleeve. The combination of the present invention is designed for repeated use, rendering prior art disposable sleeves unnecessary.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/767,076, filed on Mar. 1, 2006. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to beverage cups and, more particularly, to a novel coffee cup sleeve. 
     BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     With the increase in popularity of retail coffee establishments such as Starbucks, Seattle&#39;s Best Coffee, Dietrich&#39;s Coffee, and the like, the use of disposable paperboard coffee cups has increased dramatically. Such cups transmit heat fairly well, and as a result various types of disposable coffee cup sleeves have been devised to eliminate the previous practice of “double cupping,” wherein an additional paperboard coffee cup was used to insulate the heat of the coffee from the consumer&#39;s hand. Such disposable sleeves use far less paper or paperboard than an additional cup, yet provide even better insulating characteristics. As a result, use of such disposable sleeves has saved a significant amount of paperboard material and has considerably benefited the environment. 
     Examples of such sleeves can be found in the following references: U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,363 to Rule, Jr. on Nov. 28, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,135 to Schaefer on Sep. 16, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,615 to Rose on Jan. 12, 1999; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,192 to Marlow on Nov. 13, 2001. Of particular interest in the present invention is U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,855 to Alpert on Feb. 6, 2001, which teaches a translucent or transparent sleeve such that an indicia printed on the cup may be seen therethrough. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,253 to Wong on Nov. 9, 2004 teaches an opaque sleeve having a surface suitable for printing an indicia thereon. 
     While such sleeve devices have benefited environment by reducing waste, prior art sleeves are still designed to be disposed of after use. Moreover, if a consumer retains such a sleeve with the intention of re-using it, and since such devices are typically made from paperboard or corrugated paper stock, they are prone to becoming stained with coffee or other foodstuffs. Even if a customer&#39;s favorite drink has been printed on such a sleeve for the benefit of the barista making the coffee drink, the device is only re-usable a finite number of times before its living hinges wear-out or it becomes unsightly and an embarrassment. 
     To reduce still further the environmental burden caused by the large number of such disposable sleeves being manufactured, used once, and then discarded, other sleeve devices have been invented that are either designed to be non-disposable or biodegradable. Such devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,249 to Strech on Jun. 14, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,709 to Hudson on Sep. 11, 2001; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,372 to Spence on May 5, 1998. 
     A significant drawback to the biodegradable devices is that one device must be used and purchased with each beverage purchase. As such, these products are still relatively expensive to supply to each customer and result in greater expense for the retail coffee establishment. Customarily, such establishments are typically expected to furnish such sleeves for free to their customers upon request. 
     A significant drawback to the non-disposable devices is that, when engaged with a beverage cup, they are typically opaque and do not allow a barista preparing the coffee drink to see the customization details that are typically written on the beverage cup by the order taker. As a result, such devices are impractical to use and would cause disruption in the normal work flow of a retail coffee establishment by requiring the barista to perform the extra labor step of removing the sleeve temporarily in order to complete the preparation of the beverage. But it is a further drawback that the order taker must write the customer&#39;s drink order on a new cup every time the customer visits, even when the customer orders the same drink with every visit. 
     As such, a non-disposable, translucent or transparent sleeve is needed. Such a sleeve would be made from a heat insulating material, would be relatively easy to clean, and would allow for quick reading of a customized drink notations printed thereon. Yet the printing on such a needed device would necessarily be protected from moisture, such as from liquid splashed or dripped down the side of the sleeve. The present invention accomplishes these objectives. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an insulating sleeve combination for a frusto-conical beverage cup, such as is commonly served in retail coffee establishments and the like. Such cups, which are made in various sizes, all include an outer peripheral surface. The combination of the present invention includes an opaque frusto-conical inner sleeve and a frusto-conical outer sleeve. Preferably, at least a portion of the outer sleeve is transparent, such that indicia on the inner sleeve is visible therethrough. Alternately, at least a portion of the outer sleeve may be translucent, whereby the indicia is at least partially visible therethrough. The outer sleeve, in such embodiments, may be made from a silicon rubber material, for example, that has excellent heat insulation properties and serves to insulate a person&#39;s hand from a majority of the heat emanating from the cup. Alternately, the outer sleeve may be made from a clear vinyl or other similar translucent or transparent material. The outer surface of the outer sleeve may includes a textured gripping surface, facilitating the manual grasping of the combination by the user. 
     In use, the consumer typically acquires the present invention in a substantially flat configuration with the inner sleeve engaged within the outer sleeve. The consumer may then remove the inner sleeve and customize a desired beverage order thereon by printing with a pen or applying a pre-printed label thereto. The consumer then engages the inner sleeve with the outer sleeve. Upon ordering, the consumer merely hands the combination of the present invention to the order taker, who reads the pre-printed beverage-indicating indicia on the inner sleeve through the outer sleeve, inserts an appropriate cup therein, and completes the order. The consumer receives the beverage in the cup and, upon finishing the beverage, removes the combination of the present invention from the cup. The process can be repeated day to day, as the outer sleeve is easy to clean. Further, if the consumer ever desires to change his indicated beverage, an alternate inner sleeve can be prepared from conventional card-stock or paperboard material and substituted with the old inner sleeve. Still further, seasonal inner sleeves may be provided to consumers who still retain the outer sleeves, giving the consumer increased ability to express themselves with various styles of inner sleeves. Inner sleeve designs can be supplied at the retail beverage establishments, though pre-cut templates that the user may customize as desired, such as by printing through a color printer or the like, by other sponsors, or by any other of a wide variety of means. 
     The present invention provides a reusable beverage sleeve that not only protects the environment by reducing the number of disposable sleeves that are used, but also provides a streamlined ordering method for the user and retail beverage establishments. The present device, while more expensive to produce than any one disposable sleeve, actually saves the beverage establishment money by allowing fewer disposable sleeves to be printed. Further, the retail beverage establishment may sell the present invention, rather than providing a disposable sleeve to their customers gratis. A wide variety of designs of inner sleeves may be printed, as well, thereby allowing consumers to express their individuality. Further, inner sleeves may be provided blank for the consumer to print themselves, making the number of inner sleeve combinations endless. Still further, the present invention is even more effective at insulating a consumer&#39;s hand from the heat of a hot beverage than a disposable sleeve alone. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing of the invention, illustrating a combination of an inner sleeve fully engaged with an outer sleeve as together engaged to a beverage cup; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially cut-away perspective drawing of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded front elevational view of the invention, illustrating the inner sleeve separated from the outer sleeve; 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the outer sleeve of the invention, illustrating the outer sleeve in a circular configuration for accepting insertion of the inner sleeve and the cup; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the invention, illustrating both the inner sleeve and outer sleeve in a flat configuration; 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of the outer sleeve of the invention, illustrating a gripping texture on the outer surface thereof; 
         FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the inner sleeve of the invention, illustrating the inner sleeve as made from a flat arcuate section of paper stock material; and 
         FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the invention, illustrating an embodiment of the invention wherein the outer sleeve includes a U-shaped handle formed integrally therewith. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  illustrations an insulating sleeve combination  10  for a frusto-conical beverage cup  20 , such as is commonly served in retail coffee establishments such as Starbucks Coffee. Such cups  20 , of various sizes, all include an outer peripheral surface  25 . 
     The combination  10  includes an opaque frusto-conical inner sleeve  30  and a frusto-conical outer sleeve  80 . The inner sleeve  30  includes an inner surface  35  for engagement with the outer peripheral surface  25  of the cup  20 , an outer surface  40  adapted for accepting printed indicia  50  thereon, a top edge  60 , and a bottom edge  70 . The inner sleeve  30  may be formed from an arcuate section  130  ( FIG. 8 ) of cardboard or cardstock paper, for example, that has a top edge  140 , a bottom edge  150 , and two side edges  160  that are fixed together. As such, the arcuate section is curved around itself to form the frusto-conical inner sleeve  30 . Further, a pair of creases  180  may be formed into the arcuate section  130  between the top and bottom edges  140 , 150  and at opposing sides thereof so that the inner sleeve  30  formed thereby may be folded substantially flat configuration for storage, transport, and the like ( FIG. 6 ). 
     The outer sleeve  80  includes an inner surface  90  for engagement with at least a portion of the outer surface  40  of the inner sleeve  30 , an outer surface  100 , a top edge  110  and a bottom edge  120 . The outer sleeve  40  has an inside diameter sufficient to allow at least partial insertion of the inner sleeve  30  within the outer sleeve  80  such that the inner and outer sleeves  30 , 80  are coaxially aligned. The outer sleeve  80  may further be tapered so that the thickness thereof proximate the bottom edge  120  is substantially thinner than the thickness thereof proximate to the top edge  110  (not shown). As such, insertion of the cup  20  and the combination  10  into a typical vehicle cup holder (not shown) is facilitated. 
     A pair of living hinges  170  may be formed into the outer sleeve  80  between the top and bottom edges  110 , 120  thereof. Each living hinge  170  is positioned at opposing areas of the inner surface  90  such that the outer sleeve  80  may be collapsed to form a generally flat arc shape ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ). As such, when the inner sleeve  30  is fully engaged in the outer sleeve  80 , and with each of the creases  180  of the inner sleeve  30  aligned with one of the living hinges  170  of the outer sleeve, the combination  10  may be collapsed to a generally flat orientation, such as while the combination  10  is not being used. However, in order to use the combination  10 , by pressing each living hinge  170  inward, the inner and outer sleeves  30 , 80  both assume a generally circular configuration in order to allow receipt of the cup  20  therein. 
     The height d 1  of the outer sleeve  80  generally corresponds to the height d 2  of the inner sleeve  30 . As such, the inner sleeve  30  may be completely contained within the outer sleeve  80 , the outer surface  40  of the inner sleeve  30  completely covered by the outer sleeve  80 . In such an embodiment, the top edge  60  of the inner sleeve  30  is substantially co-planar with the top edge  110  of the outer sleeve  80 , and the bottom edge  60  of the inner sleeve  30  is substantially co-planar with the bottom edge  120  of the outer sleeve  80 . 
     In an alternate embodiment of the invention, however, the bottom edge  120  of the outer sleeve  80  extends past the bottom edge  70  of the inner sleeve  30 , thereby defining a bottom lip portion  190  of the outer sleeve  80 . The bottom lip portion  190  of the outer sleeve  80 , in such an embodiment, may contact the outer peripheral surface  30  of the beverage cup  20 . As such, the weight of the beverage cup  20  forces full frictional engagement of the inner sleeve  30  with the outer sleeve  80 , but the outer sleeve  80  cannot extend past the inner sleeve  30  since the lip portion  190  presses against and retains the bottom edge  70  of the inner sleeve  30 . 
     In yet another alternate embodiment of the invention, the top edge  110  of the outer sleeve  80  also extends past the top edge  60  of the inner sleeve  30 , thereby defining a top lip portion  200  of the outer sleeve ( FIGS. 1-3 ). The top lip portion  200  of the outer sleeve may contact a portion of the peripheral surface  25  of the cup  20  as it encompasses the top edge  60  of the inner sleeve  30 . As such, when the user desires to remove the combination  10  from the beverage cup  20 , such as when the beverage cup  20  is empty, the top lip portion  200  pulls the inner sleeve  30  away from its frictional engagement with the cup  20 . Without such a top lip portion  200 , upon pulling the outer sleeve  80  downward away from the cup  20 , the inner sleeve  30  may become disengaged with the outer sleeve  80  and remain frictionally engaged to the cup  20 . When the outer sleeve  80  is formed from a transparent or translucent silicon rubber, or the like, the frictional engagement between the inner sleeve  30  and the outer sleeve  80  is typically greater than the frictional engagement between the inner sleeve  30  and the peripheral surface  25  of the cup  20 . However, with certain combinations of materials for the inner and outer sleeves  30 , 80 , the frictional engagement therebetween is not sufficient to overcome the frictional engagement between the inner sleeve  30  and the peripheral surface  25  of the cup  20 , and in such instances having the top lip portion  200  is desired. Each bottom lip portion  190  and top lip portion  200  has a flat inward-facing surface  205  that substantially fully contacts the peripheral surface  25  of the cup  20  ( FIG. 3 ). 
     Preferably, at least a portion of the outer sleeve  80  is transparent, such that indicia  150  on the inner sleeve  30  is visible therethrough ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Alternately, at least a portion of the outer sleeve  80  may be translucent, whereby the indicia  150  is at least partially visible therethrough. The outer sleeve  80 , in such embodiments, may be made from a silicon rubber material, for example, that has excellent heat insulation properties and serves to insulate a person&#39;s hand from a majority of the heat emanating from the cup  20 . Alternately, the outer sleeve  80  may be made from a clear vinyl or other similar translucent or transparent material. The vinyl material may be doped with a scented material to overcome the smell of vinyl out-gassing when heated, such as when engaged to a cup containing a hot beverage. Such a scented material may be, for example, chocolate, vanilla, mint, cinnamon, caramel, hazelnut, cherry, coffee, or other suitable scents. 
     A U-shaped handle  210  ( FIG. 9 ) may further be included, the U-shaped handle  210  extending from one side of the outer surface  100  of the outer sleeve  80 , preferably between the two living hinges  170 . As such, the cup  20  and the combination  10  may be manually supported by a user grasping the handle  210 . The U-shaped handle  210  may be formed integrally with the outer sleeve  80 , or may be attached thereto through suitable bonding methods known in the art. The U-shaped handle may be completely filled-in, if desired, to make a tab-shaped handle. Alternately, the outer surface  100  of the outer sleeve  80  may includes a textured gripping surface  105 , facilitating the manual grasping of the combination  10  by the user. 
     In use, the consumer typically acquires the present invention in its flat configuration with the inner sleeve  30  engaged within the outer sleeve  80 . The consumer or a store employee may then remove the inner sleeve  30  from the outer sleeve  80  and print a customized drink notation thereon by printing with a pen or applying a pre-printed label  150  thereto. The consumer or employee then engages the inner sleeve  30  with the outer sleeve  40 . Upon ordering, the consumer merely hands the combination  10  of the present invention to the order taker, who reads the pre-printed beverage-indicating indicia  150  on the inner sleeve  30  through the outer sleeve  80 , inserts an appropriate cup  20  therein, and completes the order. The consumer receives the beverage in the cup  20  and, upon finishing the beverage, removes the combination  10  of the present invention from the cup  20 . The process can be repeated day to day, as the outer sleeve  80  is made from an easy-to-clean material. 
     Further, if the consumer ever desires to change his indicated beverage, an alternate inner sleeve  30  can be prepared from conventional card-stock or paperboard material and substituted with the old inner sleeve  30 . Still further, a seasonal inner sleeve  30  may be provided to consumers who still retain the outer sleeve  80 , giving the consumer increased ability to express themselves with various styles of inner sleeves  30 . Inner sleeve  30  designs can be supplied at the retail beverage establishments, through pre-cut templates that the user may customize as desired such as by printing through a color printer or the like, by other sponsors, or by any other of a wide variety of means. Indeed, several such combinations  10  may be purchased by the consumers, one for each of the consumer&#39;s favorite beverages. The inner sleeves  30  of each such combination  10  may be customized to represent the favorite beverage. For example, a summer scene with bright colors may be used to signify a light tea drink, or the like, while a winter scene with frost-covered trees may be printed on the inner sleeve to represent a hot coffee beverage. 
     While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the cross-section of the outer sleeve  80  may be varied, taking on a C-shape, an L-shape, a 7-shape or a straight shape. Further, the materials used to form the inner and outer sleeves may be varied by those skilled in the art as needed for various styles or types of cups  20  Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.