Holder for a beverage cup and an additive container

Abstract

A holder (1) designed to accommodate a beverage cup (A) and an additive container (B), for instance a tea beverage and an additive consisting of bubbles to produce bubble tea; built out of a flexible sheet that comprises a top portion (2), a first side portion (4), a second side portion (7) adjacent to a first locking element (9) and a bottom portion (10) adjacent to a second locking element (11). The top portion (2) has a circular opening (3) with same diameter as the additive container (B). The first and second side portions (4, 7) have respective semicircular openings (5, 8) configured to couple with outer coupling rings (A.1, B.1) located in the beverage cup (A) and the additive container (B). The sheet is folded and locked around the beverage cup (A) and additive container (B), the resulting holder (1) holding both items securely, optimizing the package for take-away sale.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates generally to packaging articles and more specifically to articles permitting to securely hold and carry several beverage items together.Background art

[0002] Some beverages can be sold together with another element to be mixed at the moment of consumption. For instance, the so-called pearl tea or bubble tea consists of tea mixed with liquid-filled pearls or bubbles that burst when chewed by the person consuming the beverage. In catering facilities like bars or coffee shops, the tea and the bubbles are kept in different containers and are mixed when the drink is ordered. However, bubble tea is also sold to take away in supermarkets or other food stores and if both ingredients are offered pre-mixed in a single container, part of the bubbles could burst during pre-sale manipulation or between purchase and consumption.

[0003] Solutions to this problem have been attempted by selling a package consisting of two separate containers, to be mixed by the consumer. The option of forming a package by gluing the two containers is problematic, because of the use of a chemical products in closeness to a food item and the risk of accidentally tearing the lids or damaging the containers when attempting to separate them. Another option is to sell the tea and bubbles containers in a box, but this increases manufacturing costs and the final product takes up a significant amount of shelf space in the supermarkets.

[0004] The present invention provides a structure that can securely hold together all the items needed for bubble tea consumption, without using adhesives and keeping the size reasonable. The same structure can be used for other drinks that can be consumed with an additive which should be mixed at the moment of consumption, for instance milk and cereals.Summary of the invention

[0005] The subject-matter of the invention is a holder (1) designed to accommodate a beverage cup (A) and an additive container (B) as defined in the claims. The holder (1) is built out of a flexible sheet that presents several portions, comprising: a top portion (2), a first side portion (4), a second side portion (7) adjacent to a first locking element (9) and a bottom portion (10) adjacent to a second locking element (11). The top portion (2) has a circular opening (3) whose diameter is substantially identical to the diameter of the additive container (B). The first and second side portions (4, 7) have respective semi-circular openings (5, 8) configured to couple with outer coupling rings (A.1, B.1) located respectively in the beverage cup (A) and the additive container (B).

[0006] For added safety, the additive container (B) has a tab (B.2) adjacent to its outer coupling ring (B.1). This tab (B.2) is configured to fit into either of the semi-circular openings (5, 8) in the first and second side portions (4, 7) of the holder (1). The first side portion (5) features a semi-detachable tab (6) with a hole configured for the fitting of a drink straw (C).Brief description of drawings

[0007] FIG. 1: Beverage cup and an additive container configured to fit into the holder. FIG. 2: An unfolded sheet out of which the holder is formed. FIG. 3: The holder with beverage cup and an additive container fitted inside and a drink straw inserted in a holder side. Description of embodiments

[0008] The holder (1) which is the subject matter of this invention is designed to accommodate a beverage cup (A) and an additive container (B). These two latter items (A, B) are represented in Fig. 1. The beverage cup (A) is made preferably of a disposable material. Adjacent to its edge, the cup (A) has a protrusion that forms an outer coupling ring (A.1). The cup (A) is closed by any known means, for example a foil lid that covers the whole of the outer coupling ring (A.1).

[0009] By "additive container" (B) is meant any container filled with a product that is to be poured into the beverage cup (A) at the moment of consumption. In one embodiment, the beverage cup (A) contains tea and the additive container (B) is filled with bubbles, so that the mixture will give bubble tea. The additive container (B) is generally of a cylindrical section. Adjacent to its edge, the additive container (B) has an outer coupling ring (B.1), preferably of the same diameter as the outer ring (A.1) in the beverage cup (A). The additive container (B) has closure means of analogous nature as the beverage cup (A). Protruding from the outer ring, there is a safety tab (B.2) configured to fit into either of the semi-circular openings (5, 8).

[0010] Figure 2 represents an unfolded foldable sheet out of which the holder (1) can be formed. It's made of a flexible material, preferably cardboard. It comprises a top portion (2), preferably of a rectangular shape. Two of the rectangle's sides present respective circular segments (2.1, 2.2) configured to partly match the beverage cup's (A) and additive container's (B) respective outer coupling rings (A.1, B.1). Centred on the top portion (2) there is a circular opening (3) whose diameter is substantially identical to the diameter of the additive container (B). In this context, "diameter of the additive container (B)" refers to the diameter of its body, not counting its outer ring (B.1).

[0011] The holder (1) has a first side portion (4) with a semi-circular opening (5) adjacent to the corresponding circular segment (2.1) of the top portion (2). This semi-circular opening (5) is configured to couple with the outer coupling rings (A.1, B.1) located in the beverage cup (A) and the additive container (B). In a preferred embodiment, the first side portion (4) comprises a semi-detachable tab (6) with a hole for the fitting of a drink straw (C, shown in Fig. 3).

[0012] The holder (1) has a second side portion (7) with a semi-circular opening (8) identical to the semi-circular opening (5) in the first side portion (4). Additionally, adjacent to the other end of the second side portion (7), there is a first locking element (9), preferably a tab.

[0013] Adjacent to the first side portion (4), the holder comprises a bottom portion (10). At the free end of the bottom portion (10) there is a second locking element (11), preferably a tab configured to interlock with the tab (9) located in the second side portion (7).

[0014] Fig. 3 features the holder (1) formed by folding the sheet of Fig. 2, holding the beverage cup (A) and the additive container (B) of Fig. 1. To build the holder (1), the sheet is folded around the beverage cup (A) and the additive container (B). To this end, the cup (A) is placed upwards and the additive container (B) is placed on top, facing downwards so that the respective lids touch and their coupling rings (A.1, B.1) coincide with each other. The sheet's top portion (2) is placed on top of the additive container (B) and pushed downwards through its circular opening (3) until it contacts the additive container's (B) outer coupling ring (B.1). The first and second side portions (4, 7) are folded downwards, therefore respective sections of the two coupling rings (A.1, B.1) will protrude from the two semi-circular openings (5, 8). Those protruding sections of the coupling rings (A.1, B.1) will be contacted from above by the two circular segments (2.1, 2.2) of the top portion (2). Also, the additive container (B) will have been placed so that at this moment its safety tab (B.2) will protrude from either of the semicircular openings (5, 8). Afterwards, the bottom portion (10) is folded alongside the bottom of the beverage cup (A) and the two locking elements (9, 11) are interlocked, thus securely closing the sheet. Finally, the semi-detachable straw tab (6) is deployed and the straw (C) inserted in its hole.

[0015] The additive container (B) will not fall out because it is secured in place by the pressure exerted on its outer coupling ring (B.1) by the sheet's top portion (2) and because two sections of said outer coupling ring (B.1) are inserted in the semicircular openings (5, 8), plus its safety tab (B.2) being inserted in either of the semicircular openings (5, 8). The beverage cup (A) is secured in place by the same cooperation of its outer coupling ring (A.1) and the sheets' two semicircular openings (5, 8).

[0016] As can be seen in Fig. 3, the first and second side portions (4, 7) only cover two sides of the beverage cup (A), therefore its other two sides and the additive container (B) will always remain visible, permitting the manufacturer to decorate them or placed commercial logos for the user's appreciation. The user can carry the package safely to the point of consumption, at which moment the only operation needed is the unlocking the locking elements (9, 11), which will free the beverage cup (A) and the additive container (B).

Claims

1. Holder (1) for a beverage cup (A) and an additive container (B), the holder (1) comprising a sheet having a top portion (2), a first side portion (4), a second side portion (7) adjacent to a first locking element (9) and a bottom portion (10) adjacent to a second locking element (11), characterized in that the top portion (2) has a circular opening (3) whose diameter is substantially identical to the diameter of the additive container (B); and in that the first and second side portions (4, 7) have respective semi-circular openings (5, 8) configured to couple with an outer coupling ring (A.1) located in the beverage cup (A) and with an outer coupling ring (B.1) located in the additive container (B).

2. The holder (1) of claim 1, characterized in that the additive container (B) has a tab (B.2) on its outer coupling ring (B.1), configured to protrude from either the semicircular opening (5) of the first side portion (4) or the semicircular openings (8) of the second side portion (7) of the holder (1).

3. The holder (1) of claim 1, characterized in that the first side portion (4) has a semi-detachable tab (6) with a hole configured for the insertion of a drink straw (C).

4. A beverage cup (A) and an additive container (B)configured to fit into the holder (1) of any of the preceding claims.

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