Patent Description:
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.

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. One such container is disclosed in <CIT>, comprising a base, a bowl, a seal and a cover. 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 or other beverage 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.

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'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 or other cavity which holds a miniature liquor bottle.

Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a cup having a base or other cavity 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 or other cavity and the liquor poured into the cocktail mix to provide a cocktail.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is providing a single serve beverage cup which may be filled on a conventional wine filling line.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is providing a method of filling the cup with wine.

A single-serve beverage cup according to the invention is defined by the features of claim <NUM>. The seal may be, but is not limited to, an induction heat seal.

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 may comprise 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 cup may have 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 which includes details of the preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying 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, and where <FIG> provide background details while <FIG> onwards show various embodiments of the invention.

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. For example, the single serve beverage cup may be used for (<NUM>) an energy drink with the active ingredient held in the base or cavity and the drink mix in the bowl; (<NUM>) a coffee drink with the coffee in the bowl and a coffee additive in the base or cavity; or (<NUM>) a cannabidiol ("CBD") beverage with the CBD held in the base or the cavity and the beverage in the bowl.

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'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'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.

Such a cup is shown in <FIG>. <FIG> show a single serve beverage cup. It is understood that the cup may have varying dimensions in size without departing from the scope of the invention as discussed below. The cup will first be described primarily with respect to <FIG>. <FIG> show a further embodiment. <FIG>, <FIG> <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a still further embodiment. <FIG> illustrate a manner of filling the cups of <FIG> from the bottom of the bowl of the cup in a conventional wine filling line. <FIG> illustrate various embodiments of a closure for the cup of <FIG> which forms with such a cup a single serve beverage cup according to the invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the single serve beverage cup <NUM> includes a base <NUM>, a bowl <NUM>, an opening <NUM>, a seal <NUM> and a cover <NUM>. The cup <NUM> is filled with wine in accordance with manufacturing standards and generally <NUM> milliliters, comparable to a quarter bottle of a <NUM> milliliter bottle of wine. There is approximately <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> inches to <NUM> inches) head space between the cover <NUM> of the cup and the inside of bowl <NUM>, a presently preferred head space being about <NUM>(<NUM> inches). Once the wine is filled, the cup <NUM> is sealed with a seal <NUM> and a cover <NUM> as described in further detail below.

The cup <NUM> includes a base <NUM> having a bottom wall <NUM>, a side wall <NUM>, an opening <NUM> and a top wall <NUM> which is the outside portion of the bottom of the bowl <NUM> as discussed below.

In a presently preferred embodiment, the base <NUM> of the cup may have the following dimensions: a height from the bottom wall <NUM> to the top wall <NUM> in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches)[; a diameter at the bottom wall in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches). The diameter of bottom wall <NUM> is smaller than the diameter at the top wall or lip <NUM> of side wall <NUM> of bowl <NUM>. Accordingly, the diameter of the base <NUM> decreases from the bottom wall <NUM> of the base to the top region <NUM> of the base.

In a preferred embodiment, the opening <NUM> may provide a number of functions. For example, when the cup <NUM> is unopened and stored in a cooler, the ice or the ice water in the cooler will enter the opening <NUM> and cool the wine. In the alternative, the base <NUM> may serve as a storage space for another item; e.g.: (<NUM>) a piece of chocolate candy for eating when drinking a red wine; or (<NUM>) a liquid such as alcohol to provide a "shot" in the base for a "double" fill; or (<NUM>) 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, <FIG> show a cup with a miniature liquor bottle. In such instances, the base <NUM> may include a closure at the bottom wall <NUM> (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>, the base <NUM> may be frosted in the region generally referred to as 22A 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 <NUM> includes side wall <NUM>, a bottom wall <NUM>, and a top wall or lip <NUM>. Lip <NUM> 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 <NUM> is also constructed and arranged to receive seal <NUM> after the cup <NUM> is filled with wine. The bowl <NUM> of the cup may have the following dimensions: a height from the bottom wall <NUM> to the top wall <NUM> in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches); and a diameter at the top wall <NUM> in the range of about <NUM> to73. <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches). The diameter at top wall <NUM> is greater than the diameter at the bottom wall <NUM> of base <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the cover <NUM> and a foil seal <NUM> is sealed to the bowl <NUM> by induction sealing means. More specifically, the foil seal <NUM> is an induction sealing foil which is attached to the underside of the cover <NUM>. Cover <NUM> is sealed to bowl <NUM> by induction sealing. In this process, cover <NUM> is placed on bowl <NUM> 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 <NUM> may snap onto the cup, for example, by having a rib in cover <NUM> and groove in the outside of bowl <NUM> (not shown) or vice versa. Other known snap-on members and/or closure members may be used for connecting the cover <NUM> with foil <NUM> to bowl <NUM>, e.g. by friction fit. Additionally, a screw cover may be used, preferably where the screw threads on the bowl do not interfere with sipping the wine.

Cover <NUM> as shown, for example, in <FIG>, <FIG>, is attached to bowl <NUM> of cup <NUM> as described above. The cover <NUM> may include a top wall <NUM> and side wall <NUM>. In a presently preferred embodiment cover <NUM> includes a recessed portion <NUM> having an annular shoulder <NUM>. The recessed portion may include a textured area <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The textured area <NUM> may further include a logo and brand name <NUM>, e.g. GOGO™, as shown in <FIG>.

The cup <NUM> 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 <NUM> to <NUM> grams, a preferred weight being <NUM> 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 <NUM> at top wall <NUM> is larger than the diameter of the base <NUM> at bottom wall <NUM>. A preferred diameter of bowl <NUM> is about <NUM> (<NUM> inches) and a preferred outside diameter of the base <NUM> is about <NUM> (<NUM> inches). In such cases, the cover <NUM>, when removed, may be used as a coaster for placing the base <NUM> on the underside of the cover <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the cup <NUM> is covered with a package <NUM>, e.g. a wrapping material. The wrapping <NUM> is preferably shrink wrapped onto the cup <NUM> providing no wrinkles and providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The wrapping <NUM> may include a brand name and/or brand logo and/or other information. The wrapping <NUM> shields the wine from light and preserves the integrity of the wine. The wrapping <NUM> may cover a portion of cover <NUM>. When the cup is ready to be opened, the wrapping <NUM> is removed. In a preferred embodiment and as shown in <FIG>, underneath the wrapping <NUM>, cup <NUM> includes a second package <NUM> 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>, the cup <NUM> may also include a frosted portion 22A having a brand logo <NUM>. In another aspect of the invention, the brand logo <NUM> of the base <NUM> may be raised to provide a grip member for grasping the base when drinking the wine.

In a presently preferred embodiment, the cup <NUM> may be transparent similar to a traditional wine glass. However, the cup <NUM> may also have a translucent color or opaque color. Additionally, the cup <NUM> may be multicolored, e.g. a base <NUM> of a translucent color and a transparent bowl <NUM>. Additionally, the cover <NUM> 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 <NUM> is removed from the container and the cover <NUM> and foil <NUM> are thereafter removed. The wine is then ready to be sipped and enjoyed.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown a presently preferred embodiment of the design of the cup. In this embodiment, there is shown a cup <NUM> which includes a base <NUM>, a bowl <NUM> and an opening <NUM>. This cup, similar to that in <FIG>, may also include a seal <NUM> and a cover <NUM> (not shown). The other aspects of cup <NUM> are substantially similar to cup <NUM> and are not repeated herein. In this embodiment, the cup <NUM> further includes a punt base <NUM> in bowl <NUM>. 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 <NUM> 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 <NUM> 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 <NUM> in a presently preferred embodiment are as follows: the height of the cup is about <NUM> (<NUM> inches); the diameter of the top wall of the bowl is about <NUM> (<NUM> inches); the diameter of the bottom wall of the base is about <NUM> (<NUM> inches); and the punt base may be about <NUM> (<NUM> inches) in height.

<FIG> show another preferred embodiment of the cup with a miniature liquor bottle. In this embodiment, there is a cup <NUM> having a base <NUM>, a bowl <NUM>, an opening <NUM> (covered by the cover <NUM> and foil <NUM>), a foil <NUM>, a cover <NUM>, a closure <NUM> and a cavity <NUM>. The base <NUM> and bowl <NUM> are similar to the base <NUM> and <NUM> and the bowl <NUM> and bowl <NUM> as described above and are not repeated herein except as they differ due to cavity <NUM> and which will be understood by those skilled in the art. The cavity <NUM> includes a vertical side wall <NUM> and top wall <NUM> adapted to receive liquor bottle <NUM>. The cover <NUM> is similar to cover <NUM> as shown, for example, in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the cup has a closure <NUM> for enclosing a miniature liquor bottle <NUM> in the cavity <NUM>. The closure <NUM> may include a closure mechanism to hold the closure <NUM> to the cup <NUM> such as a tongue in groove mechanism (not shown), friction fit or other closure mechanisms. Additionally, the inside of the closure <NUM> may have a means for holding the miniature liquor bottle <NUM> in a non-movable position such as an upwardly extending annular vertical wall <NUM> adapted to mate with the bottom of liquor bottle <NUM>. In the alternative, other means may be used to hold the liquor bottle <NUM> in place including a recessed area in closure <NUM>, sizing the cavity such that the liquor bottle fits snuggly in the cavity or other similar means.

As referred to above, the cup <NUM> may be used to prepare a cocktail such as a margarita. The cavity <NUM> may hold a miniature liquor bottle <NUM> of tequila. The bowl <NUM> will include a margarita mix MM as shown in in <FIG>. The closure <NUM> is removed from the cup <NUM> and the bottle <NUM> is taken out from base <NUM>. Thereafter, cover <NUM> and seal <NUM> are removed and the tequila is poured into the bowl <NUM> containing the margarita mix, thereby providing for a margarita cocktail.

Referring to <FIG>, there are shown alternate embodiments of closure <NUM> forming with the cup main body a cup according to the invention. These alternate embodiments are discussed below. It is understood that variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

<FIG> show an alternative closure <NUM>. <FIG> is a top perspective view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a top view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a bottom view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a side view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> are partial cross-sectional side views of the closure <NUM>; and <FIG> is an enlarged view of detail A of <FIG>. The closure <NUM> may be used for quickly and inexpensively inserting different shapes and sizes of liquor bottles <NUM>. Specifically, miniature liquor bottles come in different shapes and sizes depending on the manufacturer of the liquor and the type of liquor. For example, a Smirnoff® Vodka bottle is one size, a Tito's® vodka bottle is another size and a Beefeater® gin bottle is another size. In order to adapt to orders for the cup <NUM> from distilleries, it may necessary to insert different bottles on short notice. The present closure <NUM> allows for the insertion of different size bottles, including on short notice, simply and inexpensively. Closure <NUM> also allows for the easy alignment of the label on the bottle <NUM> with the packaging of the cup <NUM>. The closure <NUM> includes a bottom wall <NUM>, a side wall <NUM>, molded upright tabs <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM>, apertures <NUM> between molded upright tabs <NUM> and resilient tabs <NUM> and an opening <NUM>. In practice, the closure <NUM> is attached to the bottom of cup <NUM>. Thereafter, liquor bottle <NUM> may be inserted into cup <NUM> having closure <NUM> by inserting liquor bottle <NUM> through opening <NUM>. The label of the liquor bottle is aligned with the outside packaging of cup <NUM>. The liquor bottle <NUM> is pushed up through opening <NUM> pushing resilient tabs <NUM> upward and past molded upright tabs <NUM>. Once the liquor bottle is inside cup <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM> move back into a horizontal position holding the liquor bottle <NUM> in cup <NUM> and making it impossible to remove the liquor bottle without removing the closure <NUM>. The molded upright tabs <NUM> will hold liquor bottle <NUM> in place. This closure will allow for receipt of different size and shape liquor bottles. Closure <NUM> is shown for receiving a round liquor bottle as seen, for example, by the round opening <NUM> in <FIG>. However, if a square liquor bottle, such as a Jack Daniel® bottle, needs to be inserted into a cup <NUM>, this may be accomplished, by an easy change of the mold core to change the round opening <NUM> to a square opening.

<FIG> show another alternative embodiment of a closure <NUM>. <FIG> is a top perspective view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a top view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a bottom view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> are a side view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a partial cross-sectional side view of the closure <NUM>; and <FIG> is an enlarged view of detail A of <FIG>. Closure <NUM> includes a bottom wall <NUM>, a side wall <NUM> and prongs <NUM>. Prongs <NUM> serve to hold the liquor bottle <NUM> in place in bottle <NUM>. In this embodiment, the liquor bottle is first inserted into cup <NUM> and then closure <NUM> is attached to cup <NUM> to enclose liquor bottle <NUM> in cup <NUM> and hold it in place by prongs <NUM>.

<FIG> is an alternate embodiment of the closure <NUM> substantially similar to <FIG> except that the embodiment includes four molded up-right tabs <NUM> and four resilient tabs <NUM> and modified shape.

<FIG> is an alternative embodiment of the closure 500A similar to <FIG> and <FIG> wherein the upright tabs 506A and resilient tabs 508A are of a different shape and configuration as shown in the drawings.

<FIG> show an alternative closure <NUM>. <FIG> is a top perspective view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a top view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a bottom view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a side view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> are partial cross-sectional side views of the closure <NUM>; and <FIG> is an enlarged view of detail A of <FIG>. The closure <NUM> may be used for quickly and inexpensively inserting different shapes and sizes of liquor bottles <NUM>. Specifically, miniature liquor bottles come in different shapes and sizes depending on the manufacturer of the liquor and the type of liquor. In order to adapt to orders for the cup <NUM> from distilleries, it may necessary to insert different bottles on short notice. The present closure <NUM> allows for the insertion of different size bottles and different shaped bottles, e.g. a round or square shaped bottle, including on short notice, simply and inexpensively. Closure <NUM> also allows for the easy alignment of the label on the bottle <NUM> with the packaging of the cup <NUM>. The closure <NUM> includes a bottom wall <NUM>, a side wall <NUM>, molded upright tabs <NUM> having a plurality of fingers <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM>, apertures <NUM> between molded upright tabs <NUM> and resilient tabs <NUM> and an opening <NUM>. Opening <NUM> is smaller than liquor bottle <NUM>. In practice, the closure <NUM> is attached to the bottom of cup <NUM>. Thereafter, liquor bottle <NUM> may be inserted into cup <NUM> having closure <NUM> by inserting liquor bottle <NUM> through opening <NUM>. The label of the liquor bottle is aligned with the outside packaging of cup <NUM>. The liquor bottle <NUM> is pushed up through opening <NUM> pushing past molded upright tabs <NUM> with fingers <NUM>. Once the liquor bottle is inside cup <NUM>, tabs <NUM> move downward and the fingers <NUM> hold the liquor bottle <NUM> in cup <NUM> and making it impossible to remove the liquor bottle without removing the closure <NUM>. The molded upright tabs <NUM> with fingers <NUM> will hold liquor bottle <NUM> in place. This closure will allow for receipt of different size and shape liquor bottles.

<FIG> is directed to alternate closure 600A which is similar to the closure of <FIG> with the exception of the shape of molded upright tabs 606A and fingers 607A wherein the remaining components of closure 600A are substantially similar to base closure <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an alternative closure <NUM>. <FIG> is a top perspective view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a top view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a bottom view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a side view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> are partial cross-sectional side views of the closure <NUM>; and <FIG> is an enlarged view of detail A of <FIG>. The closure <NUM> may be used for quickly and inexpensively inserting different shapes and sizes of liquor bottles <NUM>. Closure <NUM> also allows for the easy alignment of the label on the bottle <NUM> with the packaging of the cup <NUM>. The closure <NUM> includes a bottom wall <NUM>, a side wall <NUM>, molded tabs <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM>, apertures <NUM> between molded tabs <NUM> and resilient tabs <NUM> and an opening <NUM>. In practice, the closure <NUM> is attached to the bottom of cup <NUM>. Thereafter, liquor bottle <NUM> may be inserted into cup <NUM> having closure <NUM> by inserting liquor bottle <NUM> through opening <NUM>. The label of the liquor bottle is aligned with the outside packaging of cup <NUM>. The liquor bottle <NUM> is pushed up through opening <NUM> pushing resilient tabs <NUM> upward and past molded tabs <NUM>. Once the liquor bottle is inside cup <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM> move back into a horizontal position holding the liquor bottle <NUM> in cup <NUM> and making it impossible to remove the liquor bottle without removing the closure <NUM>. The molded tabs <NUM> will hold liquor bottle <NUM> in place. This closure will allow for receipt of different size and shape liquor bottles.

<FIG> shows an alternative closure <NUM>. <FIG> is a top perspective view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a top view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a bottom view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a side view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> are partial cross-sectional side views of the closure <NUM>; and <FIG> is an enlarged view of detail A of <FIG>. The closure <NUM> may be used for quickly and inexpensively inserting different shapes and sizes of liquor bottles <NUM>. Closure <NUM> also allows for the easy alignment of the label on the bottle <NUM> with the packaging of the cup <NUM>. The closure <NUM> includes a bottom wall <NUM>, a side wall <NUM>, molded upright tabs <NUM> having fingers <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM>, apertures <NUM> between molded upright tabs <NUM> and resilient tabs <NUM> and an opening <NUM>. In practice, the closure <NUM> is attached to the bottom of cup <NUM>. Thereafter, liquor bottle <NUM> may be inserted into cup <NUM> having closure <NUM> by inserting liquor bottle <NUM> through opening <NUM>. The label of the liquor bottle is aligned with the outside packaging of cup <NUM>. The liquor bottle <NUM> is pushed up through opening <NUM> pushing resilient tabs <NUM> upward and past molded upright tabs <NUM> having fingers <NUM>. Once the liquor bottle is inside cup <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM> move back into a horizontal position holding the liquor bottle <NUM> in cup <NUM> and making it impossible to remove the liquor bottle without removing the closure <NUM>. The molded upright tabs <NUM> with fingers <NUM> will hold liquor bottle <NUM> in place. This closure will allow for receipt of different size and shape liquor bottles.

<FIG> is directed to alternate closure 700A which are similar to <FIG> with the exception of the shape and number of molded upright tabs 706A having fingers 707A and resilient tabs 708A. The remaining components of closure 700A are substantially similar to closure <NUM>.

<FIG> is directed to alternate closure 700B which are similar to <FIG> and <FIG> with the exception of the shape of molded upright tabs 706B having fingers 707B and resilient tabs 708B. The remaining components of closure 700B is substantially similar to closures <NUM> and 700A.

<FIG> is directed to alternate closure 700C which are similar to <FIG> with the exception of the shape of molded upright tabs 706C having fingers 707C and resilient tabs 708C. The remaining components of closure 700C is substantially similar to closures <NUM>, 700A and 700B.

<FIG> shows an alternative closure <NUM>. <FIG> is a top perspective view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a top view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a bottom view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> is a side view of the closure <NUM>; <FIG> are partial cross-sectional side views of the closure <NUM>; and <FIG> is an enlarged view of detail A of <FIG>. The closure <NUM> may be used for quickly and inexpensively inserting different shapes and sizes of liquor bottles <NUM>. Closure <NUM> also allows for the easy alignment of the label on the bottle <NUM> with the packaging of the cup <NUM>. The closure <NUM> includes a bottom wall <NUM>, a side wall <NUM>, molded upright tabs <NUM> comprising three different size fingers <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM>, apertures <NUM> between molded upright tabs <NUM> and resilient tabs <NUM> and an opening <NUM>. In practice, the closure <NUM> is attached to the bottom of cup <NUM>. Thereafter, liquor bottle <NUM> may be inserted into cup <NUM> having closure <NUM> by inserting liquor bottle <NUM> through opening <NUM>. The label of the liquor bottle is aligned with the outside packaging of cup <NUM>. The liquor bottle <NUM> is pushed up through opening <NUM> pushing resilient tabs <NUM> upward and past molded upright tabs <NUM> having fingers <NUM>. Once the liquor bottle is inside cup <NUM>, resilient tabs <NUM> move back into a horizontal position holding the liquor bottle <NUM> in cup <NUM> and making it impossible to remove the liquor bottle without removing the closure <NUM>. The molded upright tabs <NUM> having fingers <NUM> will hold liquor bottle <NUM> in place. This closure will allow for receipt of different size and shape liquor bottles.

<FIG> is directed to alternate closure 800A which is similar to <FIG> with the exception of the size shape of the molded upright tabs 806A having fingers 807A. The remaining components of base closure 800A are substantially similar to base closure <NUM>.

<FIG> is directed to alternate closure 800B which is similar to <FIG> and <FIG> with the exception of the size and shape of molded upright tabs 806B having fingers 807B. The remaining components of base 800B are substantially similar to closures <NUM> and 800A.

As referenced above, the cups in <FIG> are intended to fill the wine from the top of the cups <NUM> and <NUM> and then close the cup, for example, by foils <NUM> and <NUM> and covers <NUM> and <NUM>. Alternative embodiments of these cups are shown in <FIG> 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>, there is a cup <NUM> which is substantially similar to cup <NUM> of <FIG> and is shown in cross-section. Cup <NUM>, like cup <NUM>, includes a base <NUM> and bowl <NUM> having similar attributes as cup <NUM> and which are not repeated in detail herein. Cup <NUM> includes an opening <NUM> comprising an annular wall <NUM> in the bottom wall <NUM> of the bowl <NUM> for filling the wine and receiving a cork C after the wine is filled into the cup <NUM>. <FIG> is an alternative embodiment to <FIG> wherein the wine is filled from the bottom of the bowl <NUM> of the cup and has a screw cap SC as opposed to a cork. <FIG> shows the cup <NUM> of <FIG> having a cover <NUM> 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> shows a cup <NUM> similar to <FIG> having a base <NUM> and bowl <NUM>. The cup <NUM> is substantially the same as cup <NUM> and the other aspects of cup <NUM> will not be repeated in detail herein. Cup <NUM> includes punt base <NUM> in the bottom of the bowl <NUM> and having an opening <NUM> comprising an annular wall <NUM> for filling wine into the cup in a conventional filling line and then inserting a cork C.

More particularly, referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, there is shown a cup <NUM> having similar attributes as the cup shown in <FIG> and including a base <NUM>, a bowl <NUM>, an opening <NUM>, a seal (not shown) and a cover (not shown). The seal and cover are similar to that shown in <FIG> and described above. The base <NUM> has a bottom wall <NUM>, a side <NUM> and an opening <NUM> and a top wall <NUM> which is the outside portion of the bottom of the bowl <NUM>. The bowl <NUM> includes a side wall <NUM>, a bottom wall <NUM> and a top wall or lip <NUM>. The cup is first closed with, for example, a foil seal (not shown) and a cover <NUM>, similar to that shown in <FIG>. Once the cup is closed, the cup is inverted as shown in <FIG> and may be filled by a conventional wine filling system through opening <NUM> in bottom wall <NUM>. The opening <NUM> includes an annular wall <NUM> for receiving a cork C after the cup is filled as shown in <FIG>. The cup is filled through the opening <NUM> and thereafter a cork C is inserted into opening <NUM> to close the cup. When utilizing the single serve cup <NUM>, the cover <NUM> is taken off and the seal <NUM> removed. It is understood that the opening <NUM> may be of different configurations wherein the annular wall <NUM> is on the outside of the bowl <NUM>, or on the inside of the bowl <NUM> or on both the inside and the outside of bowl <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the cup <NUM> 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 <NUM> includes threads for receiving the corresponding threads of the screw cap. By using a conventional wine filling system for the cups shown in <FIG>, expense is saved by not having to use a special filling line.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown a cup <NUM> similar to the cups shown in <FIG> having a punt base <NUM>. 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 <NUM> 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 <NUM> for receiving a cork C, similar to as disclosed in <FIG>. The cup of <FIG> may be filled similar to as described for the cup of <FIG>.

Claim 1:
A single-serve beverage cup (<NUM>) for a drink comprising a base (<NUM>), a bowl (<NUM>), a seal (<NUM>) and a top cover (<NUM>),
wherein the base (<NUM>) comprises a bottom wall (<NUM>), a side wall (<NUM>) and a top wall (<NUM>) constructed and arranged to form an open bottom area in the base and the diameter of the base (<NUM>) decreases from the bottom wall (<NUM>) of the base to the top wall (<NUM>) of the base,
wherein the bowl (<NUM>) comprises a bottom wall (<NUM>), a side wall (<NUM>) and a top wall (<NUM>) constructed and arranged to form an opening at the top wall for receiving a mix and the bottom wall (<NUM>) of the bowl substantially corresponds to the top wall (<NUM>) of the base and the diameter of the bowl increases from the bottom of the bowl to the top wall (<NUM>) of the bowl,
wherein the diameter of the bottom wall (<NUM>) of the base (<NUM>) is less than the diameter of the top wall (<NUM>) of the bowl (<NUM>),
wherein at least a portion of the top wall (<NUM>) of the base (<NUM>) and at least a portion of the bottom wall (<NUM>) of the bowl (<NUM>) form a cavity adapted to receive a bottle having a beverage in the bottle,
wherein the seal (<NUM>) and top cover (<NUM>) are constructed and arranged to close the opening of the bowl (<NUM>) and retain the mix in the cup (<NUM>) and are adapted to be opened to expose the mix for mixing the beverage from the bottle with the beverage to create a drink,
characterised in that a bottom cover (<NUM>, <NUM>, 500A, <NUM>, 600A, <NUM>, <NUM>, 700A, 700B, 700C, <NUM>, 800A, 800B) is located at the bottom wall (<NUM>) of the base (<NUM>) and is adapted to close the open bottom area of the base (<NUM>) and adapted to enclose the bottle in the open bottom of the base (<NUM>), and wherein the bottom cover (<NUM>, <NUM>, 500A, <NUM>, 600A, <NUM>, <NUM>, 700A, 700B, 700C, <NUM>, 800A, 800B) further includes an opening (<NUM>) therein for receiving the bottle through the opening (<NUM>) of the bottom cover (<NUM>, <NUM>, 500A, <NUM>, 600A, <NUM>, <NUM>, 700A, 700B, 700C, <NUM>, 800A, 800B) and for maintaining the bottle in the cavity of the cup,
and wherein the diameter of the bottom wall (<NUM>) of the base (<NUM>) is less than the diameter of the top wall (<NUM>) of the bowl (<NUM>).