Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Application No. 61/790,803 filed Mar. 15, 2013. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates generally to a cup, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a spill resistant transition cup. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    The transition from baby bottles to drinking from a regular cup is difficult for children. The mechanism of drinking is different, and a cup must be held more carefully than a baby bottle to prevent spills. Many children stop drinking from baby bottles before they have the dexterity necessary to drink from a cup without spilling its contents. One common solution is the sippy cup. A sippy cup typically has a lid with a spout and a valve, through which the contents of the cup may be drunk. The valve helps prevent spills should the sippy cup tip over. 
         [0006]    The valve forces a user to suck on the spout, making the mechanism of drinking from a sippy cup similar to that of drinking from a baby bottle. The sucking process can also cause excruciating inner ear pain in children that are experiencing sinus congestion and/or infections. The valve is often made of silicone or a similar substance that must be separately washed. Washing a valve may be quite difficult due to its shape, and thus sippy cup valves are frequently less than ideally clean and often require regular replacement. Constantly sucking on sippy cup spouts may adversely affect the development of a child&#39;s teeth and mouth. Similarly, chewing on a sippy cup spout, as often happens, may not be healthy for the child. The use of a sippy cup may also discourage a child from learning how to properly drink from a regular cup, as the sippy cup may be held at any angle while drinking without spilling. 
         [0007]    Other populations would likewise benefit from a cup that is spill resistant, such as the elderly and those with dexterity issues. 
         [0008]    Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an alternative to the sippy cup that provides a proper transition from a baby bottle to a standard drinking cup. 
         [0009]    It is further desirable to provide a cup that simulates the feeling of drinking from a regular cup while providing some spill resistance. 
         [0010]    It is further desirable to provide a spill resistant cup that does not have a valve. 
         [0011]    It is further desirable to provide a spill resistant cup that encourages children to learn how to hold a cup properly while drinking from it to prevent spills. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a spill resistant cup comprising: a substantially hollow lower body with at top and a bottom, where the bottom of the lower body is closed and the top of the lower body is open; a substantially hollow upper body with a top and a bottom, where the top of the upper body is closed and the bottom of the upper body is open, the open bottom of the upper body corresponds to the open top of the lower body such that the upper body and the lower body together form a single vessel, and the top of the upper body has an opening, where the opening has a smaller diameter than the upper body; and an opening between the lower body and the upper body, where the opening has a smaller diameter than the lower body and the upper body. Fluid in the lower body may travel through the opening between the lower body and the upper body and into the upper body and then may travel through the opening in the top of the upper body when the cup is tipped sufficiently, but the fluid will not exit the cup significantly if the cup merely falls over. 
         [0013]    The upper body may have a diameter greater than the diameter of the lower body. The upper body and the lower body may be hollow. The cup may further comprise an arcuate lip projecting upward from the upper body such that the lip simulates a section of a rim of a drinking glass. The opening in the top of the upper body may be adjacent the lip. The cup may further comprise a second opening in the top of the upper body. The cup may further comprise a cover attached to the top of the upper body such that the cover may temporarily cover the opening in the top of the upper body. The cover may be slideably attached to the top of the upper body such that the cover may slide over the opening to cover it, or the cover may be a snap-through plug that snaps into the opening. The top of the upper body may be bowl-shaped. The cup may further comprise a lid that fits atop the bowl-shaped top of the upper body. 
         [0014]    The cup may further comprise an insert located adjacent the top of the lower body, where the opening between the lower body and the upper body is located in the insert. The insert may have a recess and the lower body may have a projection that fits within the recess such that the insert may be placed within the lower body only if the recess aligns with the projection. The insert may have a downwardly projecting trough attached thereto. The trough may angle backward away from the insert such that fluid in the lower body may travel up the trough only if the cup is tilted past 90°. Alternately, the upper body may have a downwardly projecting trough attached thereto, where the trough extends from the top of the upper body to the insert, or to the opening between the upper body and the lower body if there is no insert, such that fluid may flow from the lower body, through the insert and/or the opening between the upper body and the lower body, along the trough, and out of the cup at the opening in the top of the upper body when the cup is tipped sufficiently. 
         [0015]    The lower body may be generally pyramid, upside-down pyramid, or prism shaped. If the lower body is generally pyramid shaped, the lower body may have a flat bottom, a plurality of triangular sides joined by a plurality of corners, and an apex, where the open top of the lower body is located at the apex. The upper body may have a downwardly projecting trough attached thereto, where the trough extends from the opening in the top of the upper body to the opening between the upper body and the lower body, and where the trough aligns with one of the corners of the lower body. The cup may further comprise a funnel-like structure extending from the opening in the top of the upper body to the trough, such that the funnel-like structure extends from the opening in the top of the upper body to the trough and the trough extends from the funnel-like structure to the opening in the bottom of the upper body, where the funnel-like structure has a wide end and a narrow end and where the narrow end is adjacent the trough. 
         [0016]    The upper body may comprise an upper portion and a lower portion, where the lower portion is attached to the base. The upper portion of the upper body may have a threaded lower edge and the lower portion of the upper body may have a threaded upper edge such that the upper portion attached to the lower portion by screwing the threaded lower edge to the threaded upper edge. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a back view of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a wireframe perspective view of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the top portion of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the lid of the first embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is a top view of the second embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the second embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is a side cut away view of the second embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0031]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0032]      FIG. 16  is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0033]      FIG. 17  is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the spill resistant cup from a different angle than that shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 18  is a top view of the third embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0035]      FIG. 19  is a bottom view of the third embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0036]      FIG. 20  is a side cut away view of the third embodiment of the spill resistant cup; 
           [0037]      FIG. 21  is an exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the spill resistant cup; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 22  is a side cut away view of the fourth embodiment of the spill resistant cup. 
       
    
    
       [0039]    Other advantages and features will be apparent from the following description and from the claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0040]    The devices and methods discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use this invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting in scope. 
         [0041]    While the devices and methods have been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the details of the construction and the arrangement of the devices and components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the devices and methods are not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification. 
         [0042]    In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a spill resistant cup with a bottom portion  1  and a top portion  2 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 through 20 . The spill resistant cup may also have a lid  3 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . The bottom portion  1  may have two sections: a pyramid, shaped section  4  and a hemispherical section  5 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 through 3  and  7  and in  FIGS. 15 through 17 . Alternately, the pyramid-shaped section  4  may have a different shape, such as an upside-down pyramid shape or a prism shape. Alternately, the bottom portion  1  may not have pyramid-shaped section or a hemispherical section, as seen in  FIGS. 10 through 14 , but rather may comprise a single section. The top portion  2 , with the lid  3  in place if there is a lid  3 , may be generally hemispherical. If the bottom portion  1  has a hemispherical section  5 , the top portion  2  and the hemispherical section  5  of the bottom portion  1 , along with the lid  3  if there is a lid  3 , may generally form a sphere mounted atop the pyramid of the pyramid-shaped section  4  of the bottom portion  1 . The lid  3  may be shaped such that an opening  6  is provided between the lid  3  and the top potion  2 , seen in  FIGS. 1 through 3  and  7 . The top portion  2  may have a lip  7  adjacent the opening  6 . If there is no lid  3 , the top portion  2  may house the opening  6 , as seen in  FIGS. 10 through 17 . 
         [0043]    Alternately, the top portion  2  and the hemispherical section  5  of the bottom portion  1 , and optionally the lid  3  as discussed above, may generally form a three dimensional structure other than a sphere, such as an ellipsoid, a prolate spheroid, a character&#39;s head, or any other desired shape. Likewise, the top portion  2  may not be hemispherical regardless of the presence of a hemispherical section  5  in the bottom portion  1 . In either case, each of the sections herein described as hemispherical may be not actually hemispherical but rather shaped like a portion of the three dimensional structure and/or other shape. For example, in  FIGS. 10 through 20 , the top of the hemisphere is concave rather than convex. For the sake of simplicity, this structure is referenced as hemispherical throughout this application; however, this language is not limiting and the aspects of the invention described as such are equally applicable to any three dimensional structure, whether spherical/hemispherical or not. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 7 ,  11 ,  16 , and  17  show the bottom portion  1  without the top portion  2  attached. The bottom portion  1  may be hollow, such that it may hold fluid for drinking. The bottom portion  1  may have a triangular bottom  8 , as shown in the  FIGS. 5 and 19 ; alternately, the bottom  8  may be any polygon, allowing the pyramid-shaped section  4  to have any desired number of sides. This would allow the spill resistant cup to settle quickly if tipped over. Another alternative is for the bottom  8  to be circular or otherwise at least partially curved, as shown in  FIGS. 10 through 14 , such that the pyramid-shaped section  4  is cylindrical, conical, or has any other desired shape. If the bottom  8  is partially curved, it may ideally have at least one flat portion to allow the spill resistant cup to settle along that side if tipped over. For example, the cup shown in  FIGS. 10 through 14  has two flat portions, allowing the cup to settle on one of those two sides. Another alternative is for the bottom portion  1  to omit the hemispherical section, again as shown in  FIGS. 10 through 14 . If so, the top portion  2  may similarly not be hemispherical. 
         [0045]    If the bottom  8  is a polygon, as in  FIGS. 1 through 4  and  15  through  17 , the pyramid-shaped section  4  may have a plurality of triangular sides  9  joined by corners  10 . The corners  10  may be rounded. The apex  11  of the pyramid-shaped section  4  may be open into the hemispherical section  5 , such that fluid may flow from the pyramid-shaped section  4  into the hemispherical section  5  and vice versa. A rim  12  may extend upward from the hemispherical section  5 . 
         [0046]    The hemispherical section  5  may be actually hemispherical, forming half of a sphere with the top portion  2  and lid  3  forming the other half of the sphere, or may be more or less than half of a sphere, with the top portion  2  and lid  3  forming the remainder of the sphere. The sphere formed by the hemispherical section  5 , the top portion  2 , and the lid  3  may have a diameter larger than the width of the pyramid-shaped section  4 . Thus, when the spill resistant cup tips over, the top of the spill resistant cup may be inclined upward, discouraging spills. 
         [0047]      FIG. 8  shows the top portion  2  without the bottom portion  1  and lid  3 . As seen in  FIG. 8  and the wireframe view in  FIG. 4 , the top portion  2  may have an exterior portion  13  shaped like a spherical section and an interior portion  14  shaped like a funnel, where the interior portion  14  is joined to the exterior portion  13  along their upper edges. Extending downward from the interior portion  14  may be a trough  15 . When the spill resistant cup is fully assembled, the trough  15  may extend through the hemispherical section  5  of the bottom section to the apex  11  of the pyramid-shaped section  4  of the bottom portion  1 , allowing fluid to flow out of the pyramid-shaped section  4 , along the trough  15 , along the interior portion  14  of the top portion  3 , and out of the spill resistant cup, when the cup is angled properly. 
         [0048]    Alternately, the trough  15  may be attached to a separate middle portion  17  that fits between the bottom portion  1  and top portion  2 , as seen in  FIGS. 11 and 14 . The trough  15  may angle backward from top to bottom, discouraging fluid from traveling up the trough  15  unless the cup is tipped past 90°. The middle portion  17  may have an opening  18  at the top of the trough  15 , allowing fluid to flow from the trough  15  into the top portion  2  when the cup is tipped sufficiently, and allowing fluid to flow from the top portion  2  into the bottom portion  1  when the cup is upright. The middle portion  17  may angle down inward toward the opening  18  to encourage fluid in the top portion  2  to enter the bottom portion  1  via the opening  18 , as seen in  FIG. 14 . The middle portion  17  may have a notch  19  that fits onto a protrusion  20  on the inside of the bottom portion  1  to ensure proper alignment of the trough  15 , as seen in  FIG. 11 . The top portion  2  may have an opening  6  adjacent the lip  7 , such that fluid entering the top portion  2  from the bottom portion  1  via the opening  18  in the middle portion  17  may exit the cup and be drunk by the user at the lip  7 , as from an ordinary cup. The top portion  2  may also have an opening  21  at its center to allow the cup to be filled easily without removing the top portion  2  from the bottom portion  1 . 
         [0049]    Alternately, the trough  15  may be located within the top portion  2  rather than the bottom portion  1 , as seen in  FIG. 20 . The trough  15  may extend from the opening  6  in the top portion  2  to an opening  23  in an insert  24  located within the bottom portion  1 . In particular, the insert  24  may be located where the pyramid-shaped section  4  meets the hemispherical section  5 . 
         [0050]    Alternately, the cup may not have a trough, as shown in  FIG. 21 . The cup may have an insert  25  that fits within the top of the bottom portion  1  and separates the bottom portion  1  from the top portion  2 . The insert  25  may have an opening  26  therein that allows fluid to flow past the insert  25 . The insert  25  may be thicker around its outer edges than around the opening, as shown  FIG. 26 , such that both the top and bottom surfaces of the insert  25  angle inward, encouraging the flow of fluid through the opening  26  whether the cup is right side up (where fluid flows from the top portion  2  to the bottom portion  1 ) or upside down (where fluid flows from the bottom portion  1  to the top portion  2 ). Optionally, the trough  15  may be integral to the wall of the cup. If so, the cup may have a bottle neck shape either in the bottom portion  1  or the top portion  2 . This cup design promotes the transfer of fluid past the insert  25  when such transfer is desirable. 
         [0051]    The opening  26  may be centered in the insert  25 , as shown, or may be located anywhere else along the insert  25  as desired. The top portion  2  may or may not have an opening  21 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ; if it does, the opening  21  and the opening  26  may or may not be aligned. The opening  26 , as well as the opening  21 , may be located anywhere along a shared center line. Both landing positions share a horizontal diameter. By misaligning the two holes along this diameter, spurting fluid from shaking or tipping misses the uppermost opening  21  and is contained in the top portion  2 . This applies to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 10 through 14 , as well. 
         [0052]    In any of the embodiments, the cup may further comprise a cover  25  located such that it may slide over the opening  6  to further prevent spills when the cup is not in use or slide away from the opening  6  when the cup is in use, thus allowing fluid to flow out of the opening  6  to be drunk by the user. The cover  25  may be seen in  FIGS. 15 through 18 . 
         [0053]    The bottom portion  1  may have a rim  12  extending upward and the top portion  2  may have a rim  16  extending downward, such that top portion  2  may attach to the bottom portion  1  along the rims  12  and  16 , respectively. The rims  12  and  16  may form a twist lock, such that the top portion  2  may be placed on the bottom portion  1  and twisted a short distance, causing the twist lock of rims  12  and  16  to engage, thus preventing the top portion  2  from being removed from the bottom portion  1  without untwisting. Alternately, the rims  12  and  16  may be threaded such that they may be joined to each other by twisting. Alternately, the rims  12  and  16  may have any other appropriate mechanism for attaching to one another such that the top portion  2  may be secured to the bottom portion  1  via the rims  12  and  16 . The spill resistant cup may have a gasket (not shown) located at the rims  12  and  16  to prevent leakage of fluid from the cup. 
         [0054]    As seen in  FIGS. 4 and 20 , the trough  15  may aligned such that, when the top portion  2  is fully secured to the bottom portion  1  with the rims  12  and  16  fully engaged with each other, the trough  15  lines up with one of the corners  10  of the pyramid-shaped section  4  of the bottom portion  1 . Thus, if the fully assembled spill resistant cup tips over, it will settle along one of the sides  9  of the pyramid-shaped section  4  and any fluid that travels through the apex  11  from the pyramid-shaped section  4  into the hemispherical section  5  will not travel along the trough  15 , but rather into the body of the hemispherical section  5  itself. Upon righting the spill resistant cup, the fluid that has traveled into the hemispherical section  5  may return to the pyramid-shaped section  4  due to gravity and the geometry of the spill resistant cup. 
         [0055]    As noted above, the top portion  2  may have a lip  7 . The lip  7  may extend from the top portion  2  and may be aligned with the trough  15 , such that the trough  15  is properly aligned for fluid transfer when the cup is used with the lip  7  at the user&#39;s mouth. The lip  7  may be generally shaped like a portion of the rim of a regular cup; thus, drinking from the spill resistant cup at the lip  7  replicates the feeling of drinking from a regular cup. This provides for an easier transition between using the spill resistant cup and using a regular cup. The lip  7  also provides an easy indicator of the proper alignment of the trough  15 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 9  shows the lid  3 . The lid  3  may be generally shaped like a spherical cap, such that the lid  3  may fit against the spherical section that is the exterior portion  13  of the top portion  2  to complete a hemisphere. As noted above, the lid  3  may have an opening  6 , which may be located along one of its edges. When the lid  3  is in place on the spill resistant cup, fluid traveling from the pyramid-shaped section  4  along the trough  15  and along the interior portion  14  of the top portion  3  may exit the spill resistant cup via the opening  6 . The lid  3  may be placed on the spill resistant cup in such a way that the opening  6  is adjacent the lip  7 , allowing a user to drink from the cup at the lip  7  through the opening  6 . 
         [0057]    Whereas, the devices and methods have been described in relation to the drawings and claims, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Technology Category: 1