Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Drinking cup

a technology for drinking cups and containers, applied in the field of drinking cups, can solve the problems of difficult manufacturing processes to cycle enough material, varies the cost of manufacturing, and difficulty in reducing so as to reduce the cost of manufacturing, and reduce the effect of material consumption

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-10-20
HANSON JOHN F
View PDF4 Cites 16 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reinforcing profile for the side wall of a drinking cup or other container, that minimizes the material used while maximizing the structural strength of the cup or container. Specifically, this aspect includes a drinking cup or container, comprising: a cup body having a generally circular periphery, a bottom, a top rim, and a side wall extending from the bottom to the top rim; the side wall having inside and outside surfaces, and the side wall comprising a plurality of vertically-oriented, concave-shaped valleys on the outside surface about the periphery of the drinking cup or container; and a plurality of reinforcing projections on the outside surface, the reinforcing projections defined by respective pairs of adjacent valleys, wherein the reinforcing projections provide additional stiffness to the side wall.

Problems solved by technology

A problem with manufacturing these containers is that the cost of manufacturing varies with both the amount of material used in each container as well as the time it takes for one cycle of the injection molding machine to be completed.
It is a challenge to manufacture containers with minimal material due to the material requirements of the sidewall of the container.
It is difficult in manufacturing processes to cycle enough material to the top of the sidewall to meet mold-filling requirements.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Drinking cup
  • Drinking cup
  • Drinking cup

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0024] The present invention will be described with reference to its preferred embodiments, and in particular with reference to an embodiment of a container used as a drinking cup.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, one aspect of the present invention provides a drinking cup 10. Drinking cup 10 is preferably made of rigid, injection-molded plastic, but other suitable construction material may be used. Drinking cup 10 comprises a bottom 20 and a top rim 30, both the bottom 20 and top rim 30 have a generally circular periphery in cross section. Side wall 40 extends from the bottom 20 to the top rim 30. Side wall 40 may include a lower portion 42, an upper portion 44 and a lip portion 46. In a preferred embodiment, lower portion 42 is of reduced cross section relative to upper portion 44. Both the lower portion 42 and the upper portion 44 preferably have a taper with a taper angle relative to vertical of about 2° to about 6°, preferably about 3.5°. The taper results in a drinking cup 10 with a...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

Disclosed is a drinking cup or other container that has a cup body having a generally circular periphery, a bottom, a top rim, and a side wall extending from the bottom to the top rim. The side wall has inside and outside surfaces. It also has a plurality of vertically-oriented, concave-shaped valleys on the outside surface about the periphery of the drinking cup or other container. The drinking cup or other container has a plurality of reinforcing projections on the outside surface. The reinforcing projections are between adjacent valleys. The reinforcing projections are useful in providing additional stiffness to the side wall.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to containers for packaging including drinking cups, and more particularly to containers and drinking cups having reinforcing projections and valleys on its side walls. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] It is known to sell beverages in disposable or reusable plastic drinking cups for carry-out sale of beverages such as soft drinks and the like. It is also generally known to package goods and foodstuffs in disposable or reusable plastic containers. Generally, such drinking cups or containers are made of rigid, injection-molded plastic. A problem with manufacturing these containers is that the cost of manufacturing varies with both the amount of material used in each container as well as the time it takes for one cycle of the injection molding machine to be completed. The less material used in a container, the thinner the container wall and the faster the injection molding machine will be able to produce a containe...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
IPC IPC(8): B65D1/26B65D1/44B65D3/02B65D6/08
CPCB65D1/44B65D1/265
Inventor HANSON, JOHN F.
Owner HANSON JOHN F