Patent Document

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/763,520, filed on Jan. 23, 2004, now abandoned, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is concerned with improving the handling of nestable cups and lids for those cups. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is customary to configure disposable soft drink cups so that each cup can be nested in a like cup beneath it in a stack. This greatly reduces the storage space for multiple cups. Such cups are rarely supplied with lids in place on the open mouth of the cups because this would preclude the cups being nested. Hence, the lids are usually supplied and stored in a container separate from the container for the cups. And, thus, the cups and lids must be handled separately and brought together for use. 
   In the prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,420, granted Jan. 23, 2001 to G. E. Sarson et al. for “Disposable Cup With Spill Resistant Lid” proposes to configure the cup with an integral lid that can be folded between a raised position and a semi-closed position. The construction does not allow the cup opening to be fully and reliably closed. 
   P. S. Takacs in his U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,106, granted Sep. 14, 1993 for “Bottle Incorporating Cap Holder” proposed to store the cap for a bottle in a recess in the base of the bottle. Of course, such an arrangement is not nestable with other like bottles. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,852 granted Apr. 11, 2000 to M. G. Evans et al. for “Hot Beverage Lid With Thermal Flex-Guards” proposed attaching the lid to flaps or a cylinder of heat insulating material at the wall of the cup. Again, if the cups are nested for storage the lid must be stored and handled separately. 
   There continues to be a need for a cup and lid combination in which these items can be stored together in a nested condition. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   This invention proposes to provide a recess in the frustroconical wall of a nestable cup to house and retain for use a lid for the cup. The wall of the cup is preferably configured to releasably retain the lid in the recess. There may also be provided a flexible tether connecting the lid to the cup so the lid does not fall free of the cup when removed from the recess. Further, the lid may be provided with a tab to facilitate removal of the lid from the recess. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cup and lid combination that includes a cup having a side wall, a closed bottom and an open top, a lid configured to close the open top of the cup, and a tether connecting the lid to the cup. In a preferred embodiment, the cup includes a band extending therearound, and one end of the tether is connected to the band, and the other end of the tether is connected to the lid. Also, the top of the cup preferably has a convex/concave shape. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of placing a lid on a nestable cup, the cup including a flexible tether connected at one end to the cup and at the opposite end to the lid. The method includes the steps of providing a stack of nestable cups, at least a first cup including a lid in a storage position, removing the first cup from the stack, and moving the lid from the storage position to a use position. In a preferred embodiment, the cup further includes a band extending therearound and the tether is connected at one end to the band and at the opposite end to the lid. The method can also include the step of tearing the tether, thereby separating the lid from the band. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a top for a cup including a band, a lid, and a tether having its first end secured to the band and its second end secured to the lid. In a preferred embodiment, the band has a channel defined therein and includes a bottom portion and a lip extending outwardly from the bottom portion. The channel is defined in the bottom portion. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a first embodiment of a cup/lid combination incorporating this invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the cup/lid combination of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial sectional view of the cup/lid combination of  FIG. 1  taken generally as indicated by line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of a cup/lid combination; 
       FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the cup/lid combination of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of two of the cups of  FIG. 4  showing that they are nestable; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention showing the top and lid without the cup; and 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a cup showing the top and lid of  FIG. 7  secured on the lip of a cup. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the numeral  11  designates generally the cup and numeral  12  designates generally the lid for the cup. 
   For exemplary purposes only, described hereinbelow is a preferred embodiment wherein the cups described are of a nestable variety. However, this is not a limitation on the present invention. It will be understood that the cup/lid combinations taught herein can by used with any type of cup or vessel that includes a lid. Other uses for the cup/lid combinations described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the relevant art. 
   It will be appreciated that terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “upwardly” and other such descriptive terms used hereinbelow are merely for ease of description and refer to the orientation of the components as shown in the figures. It should be understood that any orientation of the cup/lid combinations described herein is within the scope of the present invention. 
   Cup  11  is a nestable variety, meaning that it can be stacked with a cup nesting inside a cup therebeneath in a stack. To this end cup  11  has a frustroconical wall  13  with a closed bottom  14  and an open top  15 . The cup preferably has a thickened or rolled lip  16  at the open top  15 . 
   The wall  13  of cup  11  has a circular recess  17  therein for receiving the lid  12 . In the view of the recess  17  there are provided one or more pairs of oppositely disposed nubs  18  which are adapted to overlie and retain the periphery  19  of the lid  12  when it is positioned within recess  17 . (Only one such nub  18  is shown in the drawings at  FIG. 2  and in enlarged section in  FIG. 3 .) 
   Both the cup  11  and the lid  12  are preferably formed of thin wall flexible plastic materials thus enabling the lid  12  to be bent and flexed in placing it in recess  17  beneath cup nubs  18  and to likewise flex when the lid  12  is snapped out of the recess  17  for use in covering the open top  15  of the cup. 
   If desired a tab  20  may be affixed to or be integral with the lid  12  to facilitate removing the lid from the cup wall recess  17 . 
   Also, if desired the combination may include a flexible tether  21  providing a connection between the lid and the cup. The tether  21  prevents the lid from flying free when it is pulled from the recess  17  in the cup wall  13 . 
   From the foregoing it should be apparent that with the cup lid  12  nestled within the recess  17  of the cup wall  13  the cup and lid can be nested within another like cup/lid combination for stacked storage and dispensing. 
   In another embodiment, the recess  17  can include a lip, similar to lip  16  for retaining the lid  12 . In this embodiment, instead of being nestled within recess  17 , the lid  12  is snap fit onto the lip within recess  17 , just as it is typically snap fit onto lip  16  when in use. In this embodiment, the cups are still nestable because the lip is located within recess  17 . In use, the lid  12  is removed from the lip in recess  17  and is then placed on lip  16 . In yet another embodiment, recess  17  can be omitted, and a lip for retaining lid  12  can be formed on the side wall  13  of cup  11 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , a second embodiment of a cup/lid combination is shown. Cup  40  is similar to cup  11 , but has recess  17  omitted. Cup  40  is preferably a nestable variety. To this end cup  40  has a frustroconical wall  13  with a closed bottom  14  and an open top  15 . The cup preferably has a thickened or rolled lip  16  at the open top  15 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, cup  40  includes flexible tether  42  and band  44 . The band  44  extends around the cup  40  preferably just under lip  16 . The band  44 , tether  42  and lid  12  together form a top for the cup  40 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the tether  42  is connected at one end to the band  44  and at its opposite end to the lid  12 . In an alternative embodiment, the tether  42  can be attached to or formed with the cup  40  itself, thus eliminating the need for band  44 . 
   In an alternative embodiment, the band  44  is seated in a shallow channel that is formed in the side wall  13  of the cup  40 . In a preferred embodiment, the channel can be omitted. 
   As is best shown in  FIG. 4 , in a preferred embodiment, the top  15  of cup  40  has a convex/concave shape. In other words, when viewed from one side (as shown in  FIG. 6 ), the top  15  has a concave shape. When the cup  40  is turned 90 degrees from the position shown in  FIG. 6  the top  15  has a convex shape. This configuration is referred to herein as a convex/concave shape and will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. After being stored for a period of time, lid  12  takes on a shape similar to that shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . This is because in storage, lid  12  points upwardly, as shown in  FIG. 6 . When the stack of cups  40  is placed in a sleeve, the lid  12  of a lower cup  40  typically contacts some of the cups  40  above it in the stack. Because the cups  40  are round and the cups  40  and lids  12  are secured in a sleeve, the lids  12  tend to mirror the shape of the cups, thus giving the lids  12  a convex/concave shape. 
   This convex/concave shape substantially corresponds to that of top  15  of cup  40  Therefore, the top  15  of cup  40  and lip  16  are preferably shaped in a non-flat or convex/concave shaped manner to accommodate the shape of lid  12  after storage. In an alternative embodiment, the lid  12  can have a convex/concave shape when manufactured. In this embodiment, the lid  12  and top  15  of cup  40  are both shaped so as to fit one another before the lid  12  is placed in the storage position (as described below). 
   In use, lid  12  is moved between a storage position  60  and a use position  62 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the lid  12  starts in the storage position  60 . A user first removes the cup  40  from the stack. However, the tether  42  keeps the lid  12  attached to the lid  12 , so that it does not drop to the floor, counter, etc. The user then fills the cup  40  with a beverage and places the lid  12  on the cup, which is referred to herein as the use position  62 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, the band  44  is disposable. In this embodiment, after removing cup  40  from the stack, the user tears the tether  42 , thereby separating the band  44  from the lid  12  and then places the lid  12  on the cup  40  in the use position  62 . After the lid  12  is separated from the band  44 , the band  44  can then be disposed of. 
   In yet another embodiment, the lid  12  can be stored inside cup  40 . In use, the lid  12  is moved between a storage position, a filling position and a use position. It will be understood that the filling position is any position where the lid  12  is out of the cup  40  and not in the way when the cup  40  is being filled. 
   Preferably, the lid  12 , band  44  and tether  42  are formed of a unitary piece of material. In an alternative embodiment, the lid  12 , band  44  and tether  42  are formed of separate pieces that are attached to one another. Furthermore, the lid  12 , band  44  and the tether  42  are preferably formed of thin wall flexible plastic materials thus enabling the lid  12  and tether to be bent and flexed when the lid is moved from the storage position to the use position. Also, the thin wall flexible plastic material allows for easy tearing of the tether in the embodiment where the band  44  is disposable. In another embodiment, where the band  44  is omitted, the lid  12 , tether  42  and cup  40  are formed of a unitary piece of material. 
   A third preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 7-8 . In this embodiment, a top  70  includes a band  44  that is fitted around the lip  16 , and a lid  12  that is connected to the band  44  by a tether  42 . The band  44  includes a channel  72  for receiving the lip  16  of the cup  40 . As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , the lip  16  of the cup  40  is received in the channel  72 . The top  70  is preferably made of an elastomeric material, such as plastic or the like. Accordingly, the top  70  can be snap fit on the top  15  of the cup  40  by mating the channel  72  and the lip  16  of the cup  40 . Preferably, the band  44  also includes a lip  74 . In use, the lid  12 , which is secured to the bottom portion  44   a  of the band  44  is snap fit onto the lip  74  of the band. As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , the channel  72  is defined in the bottom portion  44   a  of the band  44  and extends upwardly into the lip  74 . In an alternative embodiment, the channel  72  can be defined only in the bottom portion  44   a  of the band  44 . In this embodiment, the top  70  can be used on a cup without a lip and can therefore provide a lip for the cup and the capability of securing a lid thereon. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , in a preferred embodiment, the top  70  has a non-flat or convex/concave shape similar to that described above with respect to the second embodiment of the present invention. However, the top  70  can also have a flat configuration, as is shown in  FIG. 8 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art, that in this embodiment, the cup  40  can simply a prior art cup that has the top  70  secured thereon. 
   In this embodiment, the tether  42  can be tearable or not. However, in the event that the tether  42  is torn, because the band  44  is secured around the lip  16 , the tether  42  is not disposable as it is in the embodiment described above. 
   In use, the cups  40  come in a stack with the top  70  secured to the lip  16  of the cup. The lid  12  is in the open or storage position, so that the cups  40  can all fit in one another. A user pulls a cup  40  from the stack, fills the cup  40  and closes the lid  12 , thus placing the lid  12  in the use position. This method is advantageous for both the user and the establishment selling the cup and/or drink. The user does not have to take a cup from one stack and a lid from a separate stack. Moreover, because the lid is already attached to the cup, there is little chance of lids being wasted. In other words, the user will not pull two lids accidentally from a stack and drop one on the floor. The user saves time and the establishment saves money and inventory. 
   The embodiments described above are exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may now make numerous uses of, and departures from, the above-described embodiments without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Accordingly, the present invention is to be defined solely by the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 7