Patent ID: 12195238

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a disposable folding paper cup including: a cup body, which is made of a coated paper of which the inner surface is coated with a cup body coating layer, forms a cylindrical shape when unfolded, and forms a flat surface when both sides thereof are folded at folding lines; bending lines forming oval indentation portions which are unfolded bisymmetrically around each of the folding lines when height center portions of the folding lines of the cup body are pressed, and dividing the oval indentation portions, spaced from the upper and lower ends of the cup body; a bottom sheet which is a coated paper having a bottom sheet coating layer formed on the surface thereof so as to be fused with a cup body coating layer inside the lower end of the cup body, of which both ends are primarily fused with each other while the bottom sheet is folded along a transverse central folding line that is upwardly convex, and which is fused with the bottom edge of the folded cup body to form a bottom fusion band; and a fusion column which is formed at a portion where the bottom fusion band and the folding lines meet, is formed in a column form that the bottom sheet is higher than a fused height of the bottom fusion band but is lower than the lower ends of bending lines in a state in which end portions of the bottom sheet are inserted between front and rear surface based on the folding lines, such that the end portion of the bottom sheet is fused at three sides.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings ofFIGS.7to15.

A cup body10is made with coating paper having a coated inner surface and is in a folded state. When a user presses both folding lines11and11′ spaced apart from each other to unfold the cup body10which is in a folded state, folding lines12and12′ forming elliptical indentation portions13and13′ are formed. The indentation portions13and13′ are formed through bending lines12aand12′a, and are folded to be upwardly convex by a central folding line21formed in a horizontal direction at an inner lower portion of the cup body10. A bottom sheet20made with coated paper coated with a bottom sheet coating layer20bis fused with the cup body10by the outer surface of a bottom sheet base layer20a.

A curved fusion line20ccurved downward toward the center from the bottom sheet20meeting the bending lines12aand12′ais additionally fused as illustrated inFIGS.12and15.

In addition, a lower end portion of the bottom sheet20and the inner surface of the cup body10are additionally fused below the curved fusion line20cto be spaced apart from the curved fusion line20c, thereby forming a bottom fusion band20d. At a portion where the bottom fusion band20dand the folding lines11and11′ meet, end portions of the bottom sheet20are inserted between front and rear surface based on the folding lines11and11′. The end portions of the bottom sheet20are fused in such a way that a fusion column20ehaving three sides is formed. The fusion column20eof the bottom sheet20has a column shape which is higher than a fused height of the bottom fusion band20dbut is lower than the lower end of the bending lines12and12′.

Longitudinal both end surfaces25and25′ formed by the central folding line21are folded inward to have a predetermined width as illustrated inFIG.10. Thereafter, the bottom sheet coating layers20bcoated on the bottom sheet base layers20aof the both end surfaces25and25′ as illustrated inFIG.11are fused to each other so that the bottom sheet20is formed.

The bottom sheet20fused onto the inner bottom of the cup body10has a plurality of crests20aand valleys20bcontinuously formed at the central portion thereof to reduce a friction force with the inner bottom of the cup body10. So, the bottom sheet20is easily inserted into the cup body10, and the inner wall of the cup body10and the bottom sheet20are fused in a contact state since the crests20aand the valleys20bof the bottom sheet20are pressed and straightened when being fused.

Furthermore, since the bottom sheet coating layers20bare exposed to the surface of the bottom sheet20, the bottom sheet coating layers20band a cup body coating layer10bof the inner surface of the cup body10are fused in such a way that the upper portion forms the curved fusion line20c, the lower portion forms the bottom fusion band20d, and both ends form the fusion column20eas illustrated inFIG.15according to the principle ofFIG.13. Accordingly, the disposable folding paper cup according to the present invention secures sealability by the bottom fusion band20dand the fusion column20eof the lower portion, and shows a form maintenance function and a shock absorption function by the curved fusion line20cwhen being unfolded, thereby stably maintaining the unfolded state due to bearing power of the fusion column even after being unfolded.

A portion near the folding line11is not fused with the cup body10to be as high as the bottom sheet20of the folded state but is divided into the curved fusion line20c, which is fused in a line form, and the bottom fusion band20d, which is spaced downward and fused in a band form, to be fused at an upper portion and a lower portion. Accordingly, the paper cup is easily unfolded when the indentation portions13are pressed since bearing power is weakened, and the unfolded state can be maintained since the fusion column20esupports with a strong bearing power.

The bottom of the cup body10between the folding lines11and11′ is cut to form a curved bottom17which is curved upward from the lower end corresponding to the folding lines11and11′ toward the center between the folding lines11and11′. When a cutting line (c) illustrated inFIG.9is cut after being fused with the bottom sheet20, the curved bottom17is formed. The reason is that the folding lines11and11′ are lifted up when the indentation portions13and13′ near the folding lines11and11′ are pressed so that the curved bottom17becomes a horizontal surface.

That is, in the folded state, the height of the curved bottom17between the folding lines11and11′ coincides with the height of the lifted lower ends of the folding lines11and11′ of the unfolded state (indicated by the solid line ofFIG.12).

The bottom sheet20illustrated inFIG.9is folded on the basis of the central folding line21so that the bottom sheet coating layer20bbecomes the surface, the both end surfaces25and25′ are folded to both end portions of the central folding line21, and the bottom sheet coating layers20bof the outside illustrated inFIGS.11and13are fused to each other in the state in which the both end surfaces25and25′aare folded, thereby completing the bottom sheet. Additionally, the plurality of crests20fand valleys20gare continuously formed at the center of the bottom sheet20in the width direction so that the length of the bottom sheet20is forcedly reduced. Accordingly, the bottom sheet20can be easily inserted into the cup body10.

As illustrated inFIG.9, a coated paper is cut in a longitudinal direction, press work is performed to form an indentation portion13in a press groove type by folding lines11and11′ and bending lines12aand12′a, the center is folded so that edge portions are overlapped, and then, both ends are fused, thereby forming a cup body10of a folded form.

The bottom sheet is folded and edges are fused as illustrated inFIG.11, the central folding line21of the bottom sheet20having the plurality of crests20fand valleys20gat the center is located up. Thereafter, the bottom sheet is located between the cup body10in the state ofFIG.8, the bottom sheet20having the crests20fand the valleys20gis provided to the inner bottom of the cup body10to be easily overlapped without friction with both ends. When the bottom sheet and the cup body are fused by high frequency, the crests20fand the valleys20gare pressed to be straightened flat, and end portions of the bottom sheet20come into close contact with the folding lines11and11′ of the cup body10to be fused.

As illustrated inFIGS.12and15, the inner surface of the cup body10and the surface of the bottom sheet20are further fused in the form of the curved fusion line20cto be curved downward between the folding lines11and11′. In addition, a bottom fusion band20dis formed below the curved fusion line20cto be spaced apart from the curved fusion line20c. At a portion where the bottom fusion band20dand the folding lines11and11′ meet, end portions of the bottom sheet20are inserted between front and rear surface based on the folding lines11and11′. The end portions of the bottom sheet20are fused in such a way that a fusion column20ehaving three sides is formed. The fusion column20eof the bottom sheet20has a column shape which is higher than a fused height of the bottom fusion band20dbut is lower than the lower end of the bending lines12and12′. For example, fusion may be high frequency fusion or ultrasonic fusion, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

As illustrated inFIGS.6,12and15, the bottom sheet20fused with the cup body10is fused to form the curved fusion line20c, the bottom fusion band20d, and the fusion column20e, and the bottom surface of the bottom fusion band20dis cut to form a curved bottom17.

In a case in which the disposable folding paper cup manufactured as the above is used, when a user presses the bending line15in the folded state as illustrated inFIG.15, the indentation portion13is dented inward from the cup body10, and the formed cup shape illustrated inFIG.7is maintained so that the user can use the folding paper cup like a general cup.

That is, in the folded state, the bottom of the cup body10forms the curved bottom17like the dotted state ofFIG.12. However, when the user presses the indentation portions13and13′, a bending line15and auxiliary bending lines15-1and15-2are bent to be recessed. So, the upper portion of the cup body10is widened to form a circle like a general cup. In this instance, since the lower end portions of the folding lines11and11′ are lifted up from the dotted line state to the solid line state, the widened bottom becomes flat, so that the user can use the folding paper cup in a state in which the cup stands on the floor like a general cup.

In this case, the fusion column20efirmly supports the bottom of the cup body10like a column to prevent transformation since the lower end portions of the folding lines11and11′ of the cup body10are fused with the bottom sheet20at three sides (front side, rear side, and lateral side).

In addition, as illustrated inFIGS.10and11, in order to manufacture a paper cup, the both end surfaces25and25′ are folded inward and the bottom sheet coating layers20bare fused to each other, and then, the cup body coating layer10band the bottom sheet coating layer20bof the outer surface of the bottom sheet20are fused integrally at three sides inside the cup body10(fused such that an upper portion and a lower portion are spaced apart from each other so that the being lines12aand12′aare formed at the upper portion and the bottom fusion band20dis formed at the lower portion). As illustrated inFIGS.13and14, in a case in which the indentation portion13is pressed, the both end surfaces25are simultaneously fused to the folding lines11and11′ of the cup body10and the three sides of the front and rear surfaces to form the fusion column20e. The bottom surfaces25and25′ fused at the edge portions of the bottom sheet20which are not fused to the fusion column20emaintain the unfolded state since not being fused to the cup body10as illustrated inFIG.14and not receiving anti-unfolding power, and the edges of the bottom sheet20do not have water leak, so that the folding paper cup can be used like a general cup.

Moreover, since a short axis C1of the bending lines12aand12′apartitioning the indentation portion13is larger than an interval B1between the bending lines, the bending line portion of the cup body10forms a bending angle and a bending depth in the form of approximately square shape on the plane. Accordingly, auxiliary bending lines12a-1and12′a-1are provided to prevent the bending lines12aand12′afrom being restored or being torn when being suddenly pressed. Since the auxiliary bending lines12a-1and12′a-1are provided to prevent the bending lines12aand12′afrom being restored or being torn, pressing power applied only to the bending lines12aand12a′ is dispersed, thereby reinforcing a form-maintaining force, and doubly dispersing and absorbing the restoring force applied when the folding paper cup is filled with contents. The auxiliary bending lines12a-1and12′a-1are located between both end vertical lines of the curved fusion line20cto support internal pressure applied vertically.

As illustrated inFIG.15, a sharp and flat blade shape but an uneven portion19is formed at an edge of the upper end of the cup body10. Since the uneven portion does not have a blade portion, it can prevent a user's lips from being cut. In addition, even when the user drinks hot water, the uneven portion19prevents the user's lips from getting scalded since reducing a contact area between the content and the user's lips.

The disposable folding paper cup according to the present invention can be widely used in an automatic vending machine, in an office, at home, or outdoors, and allows a user to easily store and use.