Paper cups

Abstract

 A paper cup (1) comprising a cup body (2) and bottom (3); the cup body is designed with an annular side wall (21), and an outward folded arced cup edge (22) is set at one end; the bottom is provided with an annular side wall (31) mated with the annular side wall of the cup body such that the cup body (2) and bottom (3) form a holding space; an inflexed edge (4) is formed at the annular side walls where the cup body is abutted with the cup bottom, thus reducing the height of the annular side wall; when a large number of paper cups (1) are stacked, the gap between cups (1) could be reduced, thus increasing the storage amount and saving the storage and transportation cost.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to paper cups that can be stacked to save storage and transportation costs.

2. Description of Related Art

[0002] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional paper cup 1 comprises a cup body 2 and a bottom 3, which form a holding space. A manufacturing process for the cup includes:

1) preparing material - prepare the raw material with PE-coated paper and divide into cup body and bottom;

2) pattern printing - print the pattern on the paper used to make cup body;

3) die cutting - cut the paper of cup body with printed pattern into fan-shaped sheets to make paper cup;

4) loading materials - load the fan-shaped sheets and cup bottom paper onto the table of paper cup making machine;

5) cup body bonding - the fan-shaped sheets are heated and bonded into tubular shape via the paper cup making machine;

6) cup bottom cutting - cut the entire cup bottom paper into round paper sheets of desired bottom size via the paper cup making machine;

7) cup bottom bonding - heat up to bond the tubular cup body and bottom paper sheets via the machine;

8) cup rim rolling - roll the upper edge of the paper cup out of the cup rim to complete the fabrication of a finished product.

[0003] Referring also to FIG. 1, , the cup body 2 has an annular side wall 21 with an outwards folded cup edge 22 of height "h" provided on the ring edge (cup rim). The cup bottom 3 has an annular side wall 31 that is mated with the annular side wall 21 of the cup body 2 at the end of the side wall 21 that is remote from the cup edge 22. The annular side walls 21, 31 where the cup body 2 is mated with the cup bottom 3 have a height of "H", generally, "H" is greater than "h".

[0004] When multiple paper cups 1 are stacked, the bottom edge of each paper cup abuts the inner side of the bottom of the paper cup below. Since "H" is greater than "h", there is a gap between adjacent cup edges when multiple paper cups are stacked. This causes problems in stacked storage and transportation. As for the storage, space-saving would allow more paper cups to be stacked in the same box or space, while the cost of container transportation could also be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the invention is to provide a paper cup that can reduce the stacking gap and transportation cost or at least to provide an alternative to known papers cups.

[0006] The invention may provide a paper cup structure with increased strength that avoids softening and provides a robust and anti-skidding arrangement.

[0007] The invention may provide a paper cup structure with good sealing and leak-proofing properties.

[0008] A paper cup according to the invention comprises a cup body and a bottom; the cup body is provided with an annular side wall, and an outward folded arced cup edge is set on the ring edge at one end; the cup bottom is provided with an annular side wall and bonded with the inner side of the annular side wall of the cup body far away from the cup edge; so the cup body and bottom form a holding space; particularly, an inflexed edge is formed at the annular side walls where the cup body is abutted with the cup bottom, thus reducing the height of the annular side wall for mating of the cup body and bottom.

[0009] With this design, when a large number of paper cups are stacked, the inflexed edge of each paper cup bottom can abut the inner side of the bottom of paper cup below and the cup edges of stacked cup bodies are kept in contact, or near contact, to reduce the gap between them as compared with stacks of known paper cups. This can achieve maximum storage efficiency by more effective usage of storage space and so saving on transportation costs.

[0010] The inflexed edge of the paper cup may be of a two-layer inflexed edge structure formed by repetitively bending the annular side wall of the cup body, or a three-layer inflexed edge structure formed by extending the cup bottom's annular side wall to the cup body's annular side wall.

[0011] The invention will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying detailed description and drawings, which are given by way of example only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] 

FIG. 1: is a side view of the conventional paper cup.

FIG. 2: is a schematic sectional view showing a stack of conventional paper cups.

FIG. 3: is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a paper cup according to the invention including a schematic enlarged partial sectional view of a part of the paper cup.

FIG. 4: is a manufacturing process chart of the paper cup of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5: a schematic section view of the paper cup of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6: shows a stack of the paper cups of FIGS. 3 and 5.

FIG. 7: is a schematic sectional view of another embodiment of a paper cup according to the invention.

FIG. 8: shows a stack of the paper cups of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9: shows enlarged partial sectional views of the cup bottom of the paper cups of FIGS. 5 and 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] FIGS. 3 and 5 depict an embodiment of a paper cup 1. The paper cup 1 generally comprises a cup body 2 and a cup bottom 3. The cup body 2 has an annular side wall 21 and an outwardly folded arced cup edge 22 at one end. The cup bottom 3 has an annular side wall 31 that is mated with the annular side wall 21 of cup body 2 at the end opposite the end at which the the cup edge 22 is disposed. The cup body 2 and cup bottom 3 define a holding space for liquids and the like. An inflexed edge 4 is formed at the annular side walls 21, 31 where the cup body 2 is abuts the cup bottom 3. This can reduce the height of the annular side wall 31 for the mating of the cup body and bottom. This can reduce the height of the annular side wall 31 for mating of the cup body 2 and bottom 3 to allow the height H (FIG. 5) to be equal to or less than the height h of the cup edge 22.

[0014] The paper cup 1 can be manufactured by the following process charted in FIG. 4:

Preparing materials (S1) - prepare the raw material with PE-coated paper and divide into cup body and bottom;

Pattern printing (S2) - print a pattern on the paper used to make the cup body;

Die cutting (S3) - cut the paper of the cup body with printed pattern into fan-shaped sheets to make the annular side wall of the cup body;

Loading materials (S4) - load the fan-shaped sheets and cup bottom paper onto the table of paper cup making machine;

Cup body bonding (S5) - the fan-shaped sheets are heated and bonded into a tubular shape via the paper cup making machine;

Cup bottom cutting (S6) - cut the entire cup bottom paper into round paper sheets of a desired bottom size via the paper cup making machine;

Cup bottom bonding (S7) - heat up to bond the tubular cup body and bottom paper sheets via the machine [including 4 processes such as heating and pressing, etc.];

Cup rim rolling (S8) - roll the upper edge of the paper cup out of the cup rim via the paper cup making machine;

Cup bottom folding (S9) - fold inwards the covered and pressed cup bottom via the paper cup making machine to reduce the bottom height (this process aims to reduce stacking space without affecting safety of the present structure) It is difficult for folding in such short distance since the overlapping height of the cup body and cup bottom is generally less than 3mm, and the design of applied mechanical equipment is complicated and precise.

Complete the fabrication of finished product (10).

[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of the paper cup 1 of FIG. 3 formed by combining the cup body 2 and bottom 3 by the above-specified process. The cup body 2 has an annular side wall 21 and an outwardly folded cup edge 22 of height "h" provided at the cup rim. The cup bottom 3 has an annular side wall 31 mated with the annular side wall 21 at the end of the side wall 21 that is remote from the cup edge 22. The cup body 2 and cup bottom 3 form a holding space. An inflexed edge 4 is formed at the annular side walls 21, 31 where the cup body 2 abuts the cup bottom 3. This allows the height "H" between the cup bottom 3 and inflexed edge 4 to be equal to or less than the height "h" of the cup edge 22.

[0016] Referring also to FIGS. 5 and 7, the inflexed edge 4 is formed by bending and extending the annular side wall 21 of the cup body 2 (FIG. 5) or by bending the annular side walls 21, 31 of the cup body 2 and bottom 3 (FIG. 7). When the paper cups 1 are stacked, the inflexed edge 4 of the bottom of each cup can abut the inner side of the bottom 3 of the paper cup below, and the cup edges 22 of stacked cup bodies can be kept in contact, or near contact, so as to at least reduce the gap.

[0017] FIGS. 6 and 8 show stacked paper cups1 according to the invention. It is clearly shown that when a large number of paper cups 1 are stacked, the inflexed edge 4 of the bottom of each paper cup 1 can be close to or abut the inner side of the bottom 3 of the paper cup 1 below. Furthermore, the cup edges 22 of stacked cups can be kept in contact, or near contact, to at least reduce the gap between them. This can save on the required storage space and transportation cost for the stack.

[0018] The inflexed edge 4 of the paper cups 1 illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 5 to 9 allows for a reduction in the height of the cup bottom. This addresses the shortcomings of the paper cup illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2 that has a space between the cup edges 22 of the paper cups that results in larger storage and transportation costs. The paper cups 1 illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 5 to 9 reduce or eliminate the gap between the cups in a stack of paper cups, thus reducing the storage space required by about 30%. Alternatively, a greater number of the cups can be stored in a given storage space. In either case this can reduce transportation costs.

[0019] FIG. 9 shows cross section views of the cup bottoms of the paper cups of FIGS. 5 and 7. The inflexed edge 4 of the paper cup 1 shown on the left is of a two-layer bonded structure with leak-proof effect that does not include the annular side wall 31 of the cup bottom 3. This structure can be applied to small-capacity (under 9oz) paper cups. The inflexed edge 4 shown on the right has a three-layer bond structure that comprises the extended and bent annular side wall 31 of the cup bottom 3 in combination with two-layers of the cup body 2 with better leak-proof effect. This structure can be applied to large-capacity (above 12or) paper cups.

[0020] Although the invention has been explained with reference to the illustrated embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A paper cup comprising:

a cup body (2) with an annular side wall (21) and having a cup edge (22) at a first end; and

a cup bottom (3) with an annular side wall (31) mated with a second end of the cup body to form a holding space; characterised by:

an inflexed edge (4) is formed at the annular side walls (21, 31) where the cup body (2) abuts the cup bottom (3), thus reducing the height of the annular side wall for the mating of the cup body and bottom.

2. A paper cup as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the height (H) of the annular side wall for mating of the cup body (2) and cup bottom (3) is equal to or less than the height (h) of the cup edge (22).

3. A paper cup as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said inflexed edge (4) is formed by bending and extending the annular side wall (21) of the cup body (2).

4. A paper cup as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said inflexed edge (4) is formed by bending and extending the annular side walls (21, 31) of the cup body and cup bottom.

5. A paper cup as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the annular side wall (31) of the cup bottom (3) forms a three-layer inflexed edge with the annular side wall (21) of the cup body.

6. A paper cup as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the cup body (2) and cup bottom (3) are made of PE-coated paper.

7. A paper cup as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a pattern layer is set on the periphery of the annular side wall of the cup body.

8. A paper cup comprising:

an annular cup side wall (21) having a first end provided with a rolled rim (22); and

a cup bottom (3) that is joined to said cup side wall (21) to close a second end of said cup side wall (21) to define a receptacle, wherein said cup bottom comprises a transverse bottom member and an annular side wall (31) and said second end of said cup side wall (21) comprises a folded portion (4) that extends radially inwardly of said annular side wall(31) of said cup bottom (3).

9. A paper cup as claimed in claim 8, wherein said folded portion (4) is bonded a radially inwardly disposed side of said annular side wall (31) of the cup bottom and an outer face of said bottom member.

10. A paper cup as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein said folded portion comprises three layers that each extends transverse to said annular side walls (21,31).

11. A paper cup as claim in claim 10, wherein a first of said layers abuts said bottom member and a second of said layers defines a surface on which cup can be seated on a support surface.

12. A paper cup as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said cup bottom (3) comprises a fold provided at the end of said annular wall (31) that is disposed furthest from said bottom member, said fold defining a transverse layer that is sandwiched between two transverse layers of said folded portion (4).

13. A paper cup as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein said folded portion (4) has a generally S-shaped profile.

14. A stack of paper cups comprising a plurality of paper cups as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein a first of said plurality of paper cups is received in a second of said plurality of paper cups and the rolled rim (22) of the first paper cup is in contact with the rolled rim (22) of the second paper cup.

15. A stack of paper cups as claimed in claim 14, wherein said folded portion of the first paper cup is in contact with the bottom member of the second paper cup.

Drawing