Divided and graduated cup for pearl tea

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging development for beverage preservation. More specifically, it relates to a design allowing the liquid beverage portion and pearls of pearl tea, known as bubble tea, to be stored in separate compartments within a single cup for sale through channels such as supermarkets. Said pearls are tapioca pearls and / or fruit juice pearls. With the cup design of the present invention, the liquid beverage portion and pearls of pearl tea can be stored in separate compartments for an extended period, enabling pearl tea to become a shelf product.

Description

[0001] DIVIDED AND GRADUATED CUP FOR PEARL TEA

[0002] Technical Field and Subject of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a packaging development for beverage storage. More specifically, the invention relates to a design that allows the liquid beverage portion and the pearls of bubble tea, known as pearl tea, to be stored in separate compartments within a single cup on the shelves of retail channels such as markets. Said pearls are tapioca pearls and / or fruit juice pearls. With the cup design of the present invention, the liquid beverage portion and the pearls of pearl tea can be stored in separate compartments for an extended period, providing the pearl tea to be a shelf product.

[0004] Prior Art

[0005] Bubble tea, also known as boba tea or pearl milk tea, is a popular beverage originating from Taiwan. This beverage primarily consists of a mixture of tea, milk (or plant-based milk alternatives), fruit juice, sugar, and usually flavored syrups or fresh fruit pieces. One of the most recognizable features of bubble tea is the black or colored tapioca pearls, known as “boba”, or fruit juice pearls, also known as popping boba, which sweeten the drink and are a characteristic texture.

[0006] Bubble tea is generally called "boba tea" or "pearl tea" in Turkish. Additionally, it may be expressed with different terms such as "baloncuklu gay" (bubbly tea), "kabarcikh gay" (bubbled tea), or "kopuklu gay" (foamy tea), reflecting the beverage's key characteristics. "Boba gayi" refers to the tapioca pearls (boba) in the beverage, while "inci gay" refers to the pearls' (tapioca pearls and / or fruit juice pearls) resemblance to pearls. "Baloncuklu gay" or "kopuklu gay" describes the foam and bubbles formed during the shaking of the beverage. These terms are commonly used in Turkish to describe bubble tea.

[0007] Bubble tea gets its name from the "bubbles" formed during its preparation, which are the result of shaking the beverage. This shaking process ensures the beverage is mixed homogeneously and balanced in flavor. The basic ingredients used in bubble tea include tea, milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls (boba) or fruit juice pearls (popping boba). Tea can vary from black tea, green tea or oolong tea to white tea. Milk options can include regular milk, cream, milk powder, or plant-based alternatives such as almond milk or soy milk. Sugar or syrups are used to adjust sweetness levels. Tapioca pearls (boba) are made from tapioca starch and add a unique texture and flavor to the beverage. Bubble tea is a beverage with many different kinds and flavors, often known with its fruity versions, sweetness, and varieties. Popular boba flavors include mango, strawberry, cinnamon, caramel, chocolate, among many others. Bubble tea can be found in various establishments worldwide, particularly in special bubble tea shops and cafe chains.

[0008] In the prior art, the presentation of bubble tea typically involves large cups or plastic containers and is served with a long, thick straw or a special bubble tea straw. These straws are used to sip the drink along with the tapioca pearls.

[0009] Korean Patent No: KR20150088774A discloses a disposable packaging cup for bubble tea. The main characteristic of the invention is that said cup has an indented bottom towards the center, and comprises an inward protrusion of about 30-40 mm, to collect particles inside the cup. The advantage provided by the invention is that when the drink is sipped with a straw, the particles in the drink gradually are collected towards the bottom, and the particles and the drink at the cavity around the protrusion can be easily taken.

[0010] Chinese Patent No: CN106510367A aims to design a light-absorbing cup in order to provide tapioca pearls to dissolve in bubble tea. According to the patent, it is not easy to dissolve tapioca pearls under normal conditions, and users may need to open the lid to consume them. The development described in the patent is a light-absorbing bubble tea cup. Said cup comprises a body and a straw attached to the lower end of the body. A telescopic piece is placed in the middle of the straw.

[0011] Chinese Utility Model No: CN211970003U describes a beverage cup with a material compartment. The beverage cup according to the invention comprises a body for holding said beverage, a material compartment structured within said body of the beverage cup to hold materials for the beverage, and a lid to cover the beverage cup. The material container is concave downward to create upper and lower layers for placing the materials such as tapioca pearls. The upper layer of the material container has a series of beverage holes at the bottom. The design integrates the straw.

[0012] U.S. Patent No: US11432667B2 describes a beverage container comprising a separate compartment for beverage components. Tapioca pearls are given as an example of the beverage component.

[0013] In the known art, development of presentations and packaging designs that allow bubble tea to be preserved on shelves for an extended period is an open matter. The preparation of bubble tea generally is performed by mixing tapioca pearls into the beverage. Accordingly, making bubble tea a shelf product may be possible by developing a solution for storing tapioca balls in a mixed state with the beverage or with packaging (cup) design solutions for storing tapioca balls and the beverage separately in a single container. In the known art, there are cups containing liquid in one layer and solid products in another layer. However, examples of these being held in a single cup have not been encountered. The primary reason for this is the potential leakage and the unsuitability of the material used for direct contact with food. According to this, there is a need for original and practical cup designs that allow pearls (tapioca and / or fruit juice pearls) and the beverage to be kept separately in the same cup, enabling bubble tea to be preserved on shelves for an extended period.

[0014] Technical Problems Aimed to be Solved by the Invention

[0015] The aim of the invention is to provide a packaging cup design for bubble tea that can be easily prepared just before consumption and can be preserved on shelves for an extended period.

[0016] The main advantage of the invention is that it comprises a separator foil layer that is both leakproof between layers and sensitive enough to be easily pierced with a straw. Said separator foil layer allows the liquid beverage portion and the fruit juice pearls of bubble tea to be stored in separate compartments within a single cup on the shelves of retail channels such as markets, enabling the preservation of bubble tea on shelves for an extended period.

[0017] Another advantage of the packaging cup design of the present invention is the creation of weak areas on the separator foil layer by using laser technology. Thus, the pearls (or bubbles) can smoothly fall into the beverage, the foil layer is prevented from falling into the beverage. Additionally, when said separator foil layer is struck with a straw, it will easily open, and with a few shaking movements, all the pearls (or bubbles) will mix into the beverage.

[0018] Another advantage of the packaging cup design of the present invention is that, in the preferred embodiment, the lateral walls do not descend straight from the mouth to the bottom but slightly taper and curl at the base. This type of design provides the pearls (or bubbles) to be seen intensely. Additionally, the packaging cup design of the present invention includes a small bulge at the bottom. This bulge ensures that the pearls (or bubbles) accumulate towards the edges. Thus, when consumed with a straw, both the beverage and the pearls (or bubbles) can be consumed by drawing more homogeneously.

[0019] One advantage of the packaging cup design of the present invention is that it provides a practical presentation option that allows bubble tea to be easily prepared just before consumption. The end user will simply use the straw to puncture the foil, mix the fruit juice pearls (tapioca pearls) into the beverage portion, and consume it with the help of the straw, just before consuming bubble tea. The following figures will be used for better understanding of the packaging cup design of the present invention.

[0020] Description of Figures

[0021] Figure-1 is a sectional view of the basic elements of the packaging cup design of the present invention.

[0022] Figure-2 is a top view of the packaging cup design of the present invention without the separator foil.

[0023] Sections, Parts, and Flow Reference Numbers to Assist in the Description of the Invention

[0024] 1- Divided cup

[0025] 2- First compartment

[0026] 3- Separator foil

[0027] 4- Second compartment

[0028] 5- Closing layer

[0029] 6- Concave bulge

[0030] 7- Bottom base

[0031] 8- Lamination surface

[0032] 9- Mouth surface

[0033] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0034] The aim of the invention is to provide a practical product option where bubble tea beverages can be easily prepared and consumed by the consumer at any time when desired, by turning bubble tea into a shelf product. In line with this basic aim, a packaging cup has been designed, wherein tapioca and / or fruit juice balls and the liquid beverage section are stored separately in compartments within a single cup.

[0035] The packaging cup design of the present invention has been developed for boba tea, pearl tea, frothy tea, bubble tea or bubbly tea, known as bubble tea. Bubble tea normally consists of balls mixed in liquid beverages that mostly sink to the bottom. Said liquid beverage can include some contents, e.g. tea, sugar, fruit flavored syrups, etc. as explained in the state of the art. Said balls are tapioca balls and / or fruit juice balls, as mentioned in the state of the art. The packaging cup design of the present invention allows the liquid beverage part and the balls (pearls) to be stored in independent areas.

[0036] In Figure-1 , a sectional view of the basic elements of the packaging cup design of the present invention is illustrated. Accordingly, the packaging cup design of the present invention is a divided cup (1) product, comprising generally;

[0037] - A first compartment (2) for storing the liquid beverage,

[0038] - A second compartment (4) positioned above the first compartment (2) for storing tapioca balls and / or fruit juice balls,

[0039] - A lamination surface (8) between said first compartment (2) and said second compartment (4),

[0040] - A separator foil (3) which is laminated in a way that it covers the top of the first compartment (2) over the lamination surface (8)

[0041] - A mouth surface (9) at the top of the second compartment (4),

[0042] - A closing layer (5) which is laminated on said mouth surface (9) in order to cover the top of the second compartment (4).

[0043] The divided cup (1) of the present invention is a graduated cup as shown in Figure-1. While the first compartment (2) for storing the beverage is narrower in diameter and taller, the second compartment (4) is wider in diameter and shorter. Essentially, this embodiment allows the formation of a base where the separator foil (3) can be placed. The key aspects to consider in the design of the packaging cup of the present invention are prevention of the leakage between the two independent compartments and preparation of the beverage practically, by the consumer during usage. The most important technical aspect which is considered for these aspects in the design is the separator foil (3). For the separator foil (3) in the packaging cup design of the present invention, white polyester and heat-insulated lacquer material have been selected. The main reason for choosing white polyester and heat-insulated lacquer material is to prevent migration. More clearly, food packaging materials can interact with food depending on the factors such as the properties of the packaging material and the food, packaging and storage temperature, exposure to UV light, and the storage time of the product. This interaction can lead to some contaminations, known as migration, which refers to the transfer of substances from the packaging material to the food. That is, all packaging materials in contact with food interact with it in varying degrees, either in one-way or two-ways. Said interaction is one of the important factors affecting food quality, appearance, and shelf life. Any interaction that may occur can have a negative effect on the acceptability and quality of the product.

[0044] For usage in the separator foil (3) of the divided cup (1) of the present invention, a white polyester and heat-insulated lacquer material has been provided as embossed by custom molding, in order to use in serial production. The term "embossed" refers to that said foil has a rough, patterned, and embossed surface. Said embossing feature facilitates serial production. To explain it more clearly, when flat surfaced foils are placed on the product, overlapped foils are taken one by one and laminated onto the first compartment (2). During this process, it has been observed that the flat foils tend to cluster together, making it difficult to pick them up one by one. Embossed foils eliminate this problem.

[0045] Additionally, in order to pierce the embossed and high-strength white polyester and heat- insulated lacquer separator foil (3) with a straw, lasered weak areas have been configured in the separator foil (3). The characteristic of the divided cup (1) of the present invention is that the areas in the embossed and weakened white polyester and heat-insulated lacquer material in the separator foil (3), with a thickness of 50 micron, can be torn with an average pushing force, in addition to preventing leakage. Thus, it is provided that a tear that allows the balls (tapioca balls and / or fruit juice balls) in the first compartment (2) to mix with the beverage, is formed.

[0046] In the packaging cup design of the present invention, the second compartment (4) is the section where tapioca balls and / or fruit juice balls are stored. The packaging cup design of the present invention comprises a closing layer (5) covering the top of the second compartment (4) to hold said tapioca balls and / or fruit juice balls within the second compartment (4). Said closing layer (5) is laminated onto the mouth surface (9). Said closing layer (5) can be made of the same material as the separator foil (3) or a different material. Aluminum, plastic, etc., can be selected for the closing layer (5).

[0047] In the packaging cup design of the present invention, the side walls preferably extend to the base in a slightly inclined manner, forming a tapered diameter rather than straight. This design, shown in Figure-1 , especially ensures that the balls (pearls) appear within the beverage intensively. Additionally, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the divided cup (1) comprises at least one concave bulge (6) at its base. The mentioned concave bulge (6) leads to the accumulation of balls (pearls) at the edges, allowing for a more homogeneous consumption. The packaging cup design of the present invention may have alternatives where the side walls have a straight descent. However, such a structure is not functional but only performs a design difference. Figure-2 shows a bottom view of the packaging cup design of the present invention. In this illustration, the details of the concave bulge (6) and the bottom base (7) can be seen. Said bottom base (7) is the part of the divided cup (1) that is in contact with the ground.

[0048] In the packaging cup design of the present invention, the mouth part of the divided cup (1) is actually the mouth surface (9) located above the second compartment (4). The closing layer (5) covering the top of the second compartment (4) is laminated onto the mouth surface (9).

[0049] The packaging cup design of the present invention includes a lamination surface (8) where the separator foil (3) is adhered between the first compartment (2) and the second compartment (4). The thickness of the lamination surface (8) is preferably in the range of 3-4 mm. Values outside of this range may lead to undesirable situations related to the adhesion of the separator foil (3), such as poor adhesion or leakage issues.

[0050] Industrial Applicability of The Present Invention

[0051] The divided cup (1) of the present invention is developed for bubble tea. It is designed to contain liquid beverage at the bottom and tapioca balls and / or fruit juice balls, which can be called with different names such as balls, pearls, at the top. However, this structure can also be evaluated for the use of different food products. While the bottom holds any liquid, the top can contain fruit particles, syrups, or sauces desired to be mixed with this beverage.

Claims

CLAIMS1- A packaging cup design enabling bubble tea beverage to become a shelf product, characterized in that said packaging cup is a divided cup (1) which comprises:- A first compartment (2) for storing the liquid beverage,- A second compartment (4) positioned above the first compartment (2) for storing tapioca balls and / or fruit juice balls,- A lamination surface (8) between said first compartment (2) and said second compartment (4),- A separator foil (3) which is laminated in a way that it covers the top of the first compartment (2) over the lamination surface (8)- A mouth surface (9) at the top of the second compartment (4),- A closing layer (5) which is laminated on said mouth surface (9) in order to cover the top of the second compartment (4).2- A packaging cup design according to Claim 1 , characterized in that said separator foil (3) is made of white polyester and heat-insulated lacquer material.3- A packaging cup design according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the separator foil (3) is embossed.4- A packaging cup design according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that lasered weak areas are configured on the separator foil (3).5- A packaging cup design according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that it has at least one concave bulge (6) at the base.6- A packaging cup design according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that the thickness of the lamination surface (8) is in the range of 3-4 mm.

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