[0001] The present invention relates to a cup for the preparation of beverages and, in particular,
to a cup in which the beverage ingredient or ingredients are hermetically sealed in
the bottom portion of the cup. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacture
of these cups.
[0002] Vending machines which dispense beverage ingredients for reconstitution into hot
or cold drinks, are well known in the art. So called "in-cup" dispensing machines
are known in which the beverage making ingredients are pre-packaged in the bottom
of a paper or plastics cup, a plurality of cups with the selected beverage ingredients
therein usually being formed into stacks in a vending machine from which they are
generally dispensed in response to a consumer operating an appropriate selection mechanism
on the vending machine. The coffee which is dispensed by such vending machines is
usually so-called "instant" coffee and the tea which is dispensed by such machines
is usually instant tea.
[0003] In order to preserve the freshness of beverage making ingredients and to prevent
beverage making ingredients which have high moisture absorbent characteristics from
absorbing moisture, it has been proposed to package the beverage making ingredients
in the lower portion of a cup, the ingredients being sealed in this lower portion
by means of a hermetically sealed lid. Proposals of this type are discussed, for example,
in British Patent Specifications Nos. 1480545 and 1603421, French Patent No. 7536285
and United States Patent Specifications Nos. 4039435 and 4061782.
[0004] We have also described in our British Patent Application No. 8520611 a cup for the
preparation of beverages in which leaf tea or ground coffee may be hermetically sealed
in the bottom portion of the cup.
[0005] In the prior art cups which have beverage ingredients hermetically sealed in the
bottom portion thereof, it is generally necessary to inspect the cups, prior to packaging
the cups for distribution, in order to ensure that the hermetic seal is intact. It
will be appreciated that this is of particular importance if the cup contains a liquid
beverage ingredient. The inspection generally has to be carried out as a manual operation
and is thus labour intensive. We have now developed a cup having a hermetically sealed
diaphragm therein which can be inspected easily in order to ensure that the hermetic
seal is intact.
[0006] Accordingly, the present invention provides a cup for the preparation of beverages
which comprises a base having a body portion upstanding therefrom, the body portion
having a diaphragm hermetically sealed therein to extend normal to the axis of the
cup, the space between the diaphragm and the base of the cup containing one or more
beverage ingredients and being maintained under positive pressure or under a partial
vacuum.
[0007] When the space between the diaphragm and the base of the cup is maintained under
positive pressure, the diaphragm will bow upwardly and will thus appear concave. When
the space between the diaphragm and the base of the cup is maintained under a partial
vacuum, the diaphragm will bow downwardly and will thus appear convex. If the hermetic
seal is ruptured the positive pressure or partial vacuum beneath the diaphragm will
dissipate and the diaphragm will no longer be either concave or convex in appearance,
but will appear substantially flat. It is therefore possible to use this feature in
order to check for cups which have faulty hermetic seals prior to packaging the cups
for distribution.
[0008] The cup of the present invention may be made from paper or a plastics material, such
as polyethylene, polypropylene or polystyrene. The cup is preferably frustoconical,
tapering towards its base and the diaphragm is then of a diameter between the maximum
and minimum diameters of the cup. The cup may be provided with an internal annular
rim onto which the diaphragm is sealed, the said rim being spaced sufficiently far
from the bottom of the cup to accommodate the beverage ingredients. The rim may either
extend in a direction normal to the side wall of the cup or may be angled in an upwards
direction, this latter arrangement facilitating the sealing of the diaphragm thereto.
The diaphragm may be formed from aluminium, paper, card, a plastics coated foil material
or a laminate material. The diaphragm will usually be coated around the perimeter
of its under surface with an adhesive which is activated by heat and/or pressure so
that it can be sealed to the annular rim, or with a plastics coating so that it can
be heat sealed to the annular rim. Alternatively, the diaphragm may engage means provided
on the internal surface of the cup, such as a groove or indent, so that it forms a
hermetic seal therewith. The diaphragm is preferably provide with a pull tab or handle
so that the consumer can readily remove the diaphragm from the cup. The handle is
preferably in the form of a strip about 1 centimetre in width and of the order of
5 to 8 centimetres in length. In a preferred aspect of the invention the handle of
the diaphragm extends above the rim of the cup, thereby making it easier to grip.
[0009] The cups of the present invention may contain and desired beverage ingredients, such
as instant coffee, instant tea or chocolate, together with powdered milk and/or sugar,
if desired; liquid concentrates for the preparation of carbonated or still drinks;
measured amounts of spirits, such as whisky or gin; or leaf tea or ground coffee contained
in an infusion device attached to the diaphragm.
[0010] The diaphragm may be sealed into the cup under a positive pressure or a partial vacuum
by any means known in the art. For example, to achieve a positive pressure in the
space between the diaphragm and the base of the cup, suction may be applied to the
base of the cup whilst the diaphragm is sealed therein, or alternatively the whole
cup may be enclosed in a chamber or the like maintained under a positive pressure
during the sealing of the diaphragm therein. As a further alternative, the temperature
of the air in the cavity below the diaphragm may be sufficiently above ambient temperature
that when the diaphragm is sealed in the cup and the cup cooled to ambient temperature
the pressure of the air above the diaphragm is below atmospheric pressure. To achieve
a partial vacuum in the space between the diaphragm and the base of the cup, the whole
cup may be enclosed in a chamber or the like maintained under a partial vacuum during
the sealing of the diaphragm therein.
[0011] The present invention also includes within its scope a stack of cups nested together.
It will be understood that if the diaphragm has a handle or tab attached thereto then
the handle or tab must be sufficiently flexible to allow the nesting of non-interlocking
cups. Furthermore, when the diaphragm is sealed in the cup under positive pressure
it is advantageous for the cup to have a concave base in order to facilitate the stacking
of the cups one inside the other.
[0012] The present invention will be further described by way of Example and with reference
to the accompany drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section through a cup of the present invention in which the
diaphragm is sealed therein under positive pressure; and
Figure 2 is a vertical section through a cup of the present invention in which the
diaphragm is sealed therein under partial vacuum.
[0013] The cup 1 has a body portion formed from a plastics material and comprising upper
and lower frustoconical sections 2 and 3 which are joined together by an annular flange
4 which is disposed therebetween. The lower frustoconical section 3 includes a base
5 and has an upwardly divergent side wall. Annular flange 4 is inclined at an angle
of about 20 to 30° to the plane in which the base 5 lies. The cup is also provided
with a rim 6.
[0014] The cup has a diaphragm 7, preferably formed from paper or card, hermetically sealed
to the annular rim 4. The diaphragm 7 is also provided with a handle 8 which acts
as a pull tab to enable the consumer to remove the diaphragm. A pull on the handle
8 by the consumer generally in the direction of arrow 9 will cause the circular diaphragm
7 to progressively peel off the annular rim 4. The handle 8 of the diaphragm 7 extends
slightly above the rim 6 of the cup in order to make it easier for the user to grip.
[0015] The space between the diaphragm 7 and the base 5 of the cups shown in Figures 1 and
2 is filled with beverage ingredients 10.
[0016] In the embodiment as shown in Figure 1 the diaphragm is sealed into the cup under
positive pressure and the diaphragm is accordingly concave in appearance as indicated
at 11.
[0017] In the embodiment as shown in Figure 2 the diaphragm is sealed into the cup under
partial vacuum and the diaphragm is accordingly convex in appearance as indicated
at 12.
[0018] The lower portion 3 of the cup shown in Figure 2 is generally deeper than the lower
portion of the cup shown in Figure 1, in order that a sufficient volume for the beverage
ingredients is provided, despite the diaphragm being generally convex.
1. A cup for the preparation of beverages which comprises a base having a body portion
upstanding therefrom, the body portion having a diaphragm hermetically sealed therein
to extend normal to the axis of the cup, the space between the diaphragm and the base
of the cup containing one or more beverage ingredients and being maintained under
positive pressure or under a partial vacuum.
2. A cup as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body portion is made from paper or a plastics
material.
3. A cup as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which is frustoconical tapering towards
its base.
4. A cup as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which has an internal annular
rim onto which the diaphragm is sealed.
5. A cup as claimed in claim 4 wherein the internal annular rim is angled in an upwards
direction.
6. A cup as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the diaphragm is coated
around the perimeter of its under surface with an adhesive which is activated by heat
and/or pressure so that it can be sealed to the annular rim.
7. A cup as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the diaphragm engages means
provided on the internal surface of the cup so as to form a hermetic seal therewith.
8. A method for the manufacture of a cup as claimed in any one of the preceding claims
which comprises the steps of filling the empty cup with the desired beverage ingredients
and sealing a diaphragm hermetically into the cup under positive pressure or a partial
vacuum.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cup is enclosed in a chamber maintained
under the desired positive pressure or partial vacuum during the sealing operation.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein suction is applied to the base of the cup
during the sealing of the diaphragm therein in order to achieve a positive pressure
beneath the diaphragm.
11. A stack of cups as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 which are nested together.