Fold-Top Race Drink Cup for Spill-Reduced Sipping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional disposable drink cups used at road races often spill or splash water when runners attempt to drink, and existing solutions are either too elaborate or costly for mass use at water stations.

Innovation Solution

A disposable drink cup with conic side walls and fold-down secant ogive flaps that form a drink spout, allowing easy sipping while minimizing spillage, fabricated from stiff but flexible materials like plastic-coated or biodegradable paper, with a simple design that allows for low-cost production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional open-top disposable cups are used, then the cups are inexpensive and easy to manufacture, but water spills or splashes out when runners attempt to drink

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidease of drinking

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cup is pre-formed with fold lines and flaps during manufacturing, so that the closure mechanism is already in place before use. Runners only need to perform the simple action of folding down the flaps, rather than creating a closure mechanism from scratch. This preliminary preparation resolves the contradiction by making the cup easy to manufacture while enabling easy operation for drinking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cup's closure mechanism is designed to be self-forming through simple folding actions by the user. The flaps fold down to create both a spill-proof closure and a drinking spout automatically, without requiring additional components or complex assembly. This self-service mechanism resolves the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Object-affected harmful factors

If runners crush or fold in the top part of the cup to prevent spilling, then some spillage is reduced, but it is difficult to form a proper drinking spout and more water spills out

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid spillageVSAvoiddrinking comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the cup top by incorporating pre-defined fold lines and flap structures. This transforms the flat or crushed top into a structured configuration where flaps can fold down to create both spill prevention and a proper drinking spout geometry, resolving the contradiction between reducing spillage and maintaining drinking comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If elaborate one-piece drink cups with built-in closures are used, then spillage is minimized, but the cups are costly to fabricate and produce

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid spillageVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies the disposable principle by using a simple paper cup structure that is designed for single use. The cup incorporates closure flaps that can be folded down to prevent spillage, but the overall structure remains simple and inexpensive to manufacture. This resolves the contradiction by providing spill prevention through a disposable, low-cost design rather than an elaborate reusable one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If the cup is designed with asymmetrical cuts and folds for closure, then a drinking spout can be formed, but the cup cannot be grabbed with either hand and is difficult to close

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrinking spout formationVSAvoidgrip compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses asymmetry strategically: the flaps are positioned and shaped asymmetrically to create a drinking spout when folded down, but the overall cup structure maintains symmetry for gripping. The asymmetric flap design enables proper spout formation while the symmetric body allows the cup to be grabbed with either hand, resolving the contradiction between spout formation and grip compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies local quality by making only the necessary parts asymmetric (the flaps and fold lines) while keeping the overall cup structure symmetric. This localized asymmetry enables drinking spout formation without compromising the cup's ability to be grabbed with either hand, resolving the contradiction between spout formation and grip compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8746545B2Drink cup for road running races

Publication Date: 2014.06.10 HOUCK RUSSELL E

AI summary

A water-station drink cup for running races has a square cutout at a front or proximal side, and arcuate upper edges along a radius on each side from the top of the verticals of the cutout to a common point on the opposite side. Radiused perforations create fold lines that extend from the bottom of each side of the vertical to meet at that common point. This creates two flaps of a double-radiused ogive shape. The flaps are pushed down one onto the other to close the top, leaving a drink opening at the distal side, corresponding to the square cutout.