Cup for Holding a Beverage and Blank for Forming a Sidewall with Integrated Flaps of a Cup

This application claims priority to EP 24175391.2, filed on May 13, 2024, the entire contents of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure is directed to a single-use disposable cup for holding a beverage, and more specifically to a single-use disposable cup that includes a base and a sidewall with integrated flaps.

Cups for the food service industry are already known, e.g., from documents EP 3 293 126 B1, EP 4 045 418 A1 or EP 4 132 856 A1. Usually, those cups include a plurality of interconnected flaps projecting from the upper end of the sidewall. These flaps are then folded inwards in a predetermined manner to form a lid. The flaps are designed such that the lid, after being formed, usually includes an opening which is suitable for drinking and/or for inserting a straw. Yet, due to the design of the flaps, the opening is usually inconveniently positioned for a user, thus increasing the risk of spilling during drinking.

Against this background, the problem underlying the present disclosure is to provide a cup for holding a beverage and to provide a blank for forming such a cup which reduces the risk of spilling of a liquid contained in the cup.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a cup for holding a beverage is provided, including:

In the presently disclosed cup, the at least two faces of the lid advantageously provide for a multifaceted lid, which allows for a better adaption of the opening to the mouth of a user, thereby reducing the risk of spilling.

In some embodiments, the base is substantially flat. In other embodiments, the base is rounded, such as circular, or angular, and in some embodiments, may be rectangular, square or polygonal. The sidewall may be a substantially round shape. As such, the cup may include a substantially cylindrical or frustoconical form. The cup may include an annular ledge at the base and protruding therefrom. In some embodiments, the annular ledge is unitary with the sidewall, wherein the sidewall protrudes beyond the base. It is hence advantageously possible to ensure that the cup rests on a surface with the annular ledge and not directly with the base, thus ensuring a desirable stand on the surface and avoiding contact of the potentially hot base of the cup with the resting surface.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the at least four flaps is not directly connected to any other of the at least four flaps. In particular, “not directly connected” means that the flaps are only connected via the sidewall, i.e. indirectly, but that none of the flaps shares a folding line with any of the other flaps. This advantageously facilitates the folding of the lid and reduces the risk of damaging of the cup during transport.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first and second flap in the closed position define a first face having a concave surface. The first face may include a central point which is lower than any other point of the first face. The first face may include for corners, which define the highest points of the first face. Position indications like “lower” or “highest” refer to the usual orientation of the cup, in which the base rests horizontally on a surface. The first face having a concave surface advantageously reduces the risk that the first and second flap unintentionally revert to the open position, thus risking the spill of the liquid contained within the cup.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third flap in the closed position defines a second face having a concave surface and/or the fourth flap in the closed position defines a third face having a concave surface. By having further second and/or third faces, it is advantageously possible to improve the ergonomics of the cup. Furthermore, the fact that the second and/or third face has a concave surface means that the risk of unintentional opening and thus spilling of the contained liquid is further reduced.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the folding lines are curved, in particular such that—in the open position—a shortest distance from the respective folding line to the bottom is arranged at a middle position along the width of the flap. This means in particular that the folding lines are concave with respect to the base. This advantageously facilitates the folding of the flaps such that the first, second and/or third face has a concave surface.

According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the third flap and/or the fourth flap each may include a further folding line, wherein the respective further folding line is curved, such that—in the open position—a longest distance from the respective further folding line to the bottom is arranged at a middle position along the width of the flap. This means that the further folding line is convex with respect to the base. The further folding line may be arranged above the respective (concave) folding line. The second and/or third face may be arranged between the folding line and the further folding line of the third and/or fourth flap. It is thus advantageously possible to provide an inclined surface relative to a central axis, which improves the ergonomics of the cup as the inclined surface is better suited to abut the mouth of a user. This holds particularly true for the third flap, which may include the drinking opening. The drinking opening is arranged in the third flap between the folding line and the further folding line. Thus, the liquid contained in the cup is comfortably accessible through the inclined second face situated.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the further folding line of the third flap intersects the folding line of the third flap at both edges delimiting the flap in the peripheral direction. Those edges are the intersection between the outer contour of the third flap and the sidewall. This advantageously allows for an easy folding of the third flap and a tightly-closed lid.

The folding line and the further folding line of the third and/or fourth flap are mirror-symmetrical with respect to a straight line connected both edges of the third and/or fourth flap.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the drinking opening is configured as a straw hole and/or a sip hole. The person skilled in the art understands that a straw hole and a sip hole differ in particular in their shape and in their size. E.g., a straw hole may include a substantially round or even circular shaped opening, in which a straw is insertable, wherein the cross section of the straw hole substantially corresponds to the cross section of the straw. In contrast, a sip hole may e.g. include an elongated opening suitable for being contacted by a mouth of a user. The drinking opening is a straw hole and a sip hole in that is both suitable for inserting a straw and for being contacted by a user's mouth.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the drinking opening is delimited by the folding line of the third flap. This embodiment is advantageous as this means that a user's mouth will actually rest on an edge between the sidewall and the second face of the third flap, making drinking much more comfortable and reducing the risk of spilling to the ergonomic fit between the user's mouth and the drinking opening.

According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the drinking opening is covered by a drinking opening flap connected to the upper end portion of the sidewall via the folding line of the third flap. It is thus advantageously possible to have the drinking opening been closed before use, thus further reducing the risk of unwanted spilling. The drinking opening flap is delimited by a cut line extending from a first position on the folding line of the third flap to a second position on the folding line of the third flap. The drinking opening flap is connected to the upper end portion of the sidewall in between said first an second position on the folding line of the third flap.

According to still a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the drinking opening flap is removable. It is thus advantageously possible to remove an unwanted obstruction. Before consumption, it is advantageous to have drinking opening flap closing the drinking opening thus reducing the risk of spilling the liquid contained in the cup before use and in particular during transport. As soon as the user wished to drink from the cup, he may remove the drinking opening flap, thus granting access to the liquid within the cup through the entire cross section of the drinking opening, without a part of the drinking opening being obstructed by the drinking opening flap.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flap may include a tab that can be locked with the second flap in the closed position. The second flap may include an opening or a cut-out of its peripheral contour which corresponds to the tap of the first flap. It is thus advantageously possible to securely interlock the first and the second flap, thus further reducing the risk of an unwanted opening of the lid during transport. During closing, the tab is insertable into the opening or cut-out of the second flap, thus providing for a form- and force-fitting closure. The tab may include undercuts. Such undercuts may then e.g. interlock with the second flap after the tap is inserted during closing into a corresponding opening of the second flap.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the bottom and the sidewall and the at least four flaps are made from paper.

More generally, the materials of the cup, such as the materials from which the sidewall, the at least four flaps and/or the base are produced, is a bio-based and/or bio-degradable material. The cup may include at least a base layer and at least one coating layer, which is in particular located on the inside of the cup, facing the liquid contained therein. Any additional materials, such as e.g. adhesives, are bio-based and/or bio-degradable as well. It is thus advantageously possible to enhance the recyclability of the cup.

According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a blank for forming a sidewall with integrated flaps of a cup is provided, the blank may include:

The same advantages as detailed for the cup according to the present disclosure also account for the blank of the present disclosure. The blank may e.g. be punched or stamped out of a sheet of material. As such, the blank may be a unitary blank. As the blank according to the present disclosure is configured as a blank for forming a sidewall of a cup, this blank needs to be connected with a base in order to form the cup according to the present disclosure. As such, the sidewall is fixed to the base at a position higher than the lower end of the sidewall, such as by using an adhesive, for example and without limitation, a bio-based and/or bio-degradable adhesive.

The blank may include at least one peripheral section configured for connection, e.g. a section configured for application of an adhesive.

Alternatively or additionally, the advantageous embodiments and features disclosed in combination with the cup of the present disclosure may, alone or in combination, be applied to the inventive blank.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the at least four flaps is not directly connected to any other of the at least four flaps. It is thus advantageously possible to facilitate the folding of the lid and hence reduce the risk of damaging of the cup during transport.

As such it should be understood that the present disclosure is directed to a cup for holding a beverage, and more specifically to a cup that includes a base and a sidewall with integrated flaps having a lower end portion connected to the base so that the base and the sidewall together define a space configured for receiving the beverage, and at least four flaps that are connected to an upper end portion of the sidewall via respective folding lines, the flaps being foldable relative to the sidewall between an open position, in which the flaps are essentially oriented in parallel to the sidewall, and a closed position, in which the flaps are folded inwards so as to form a lid of the cup, wherein the at least four flaps comprise a first and a second flap having a first width, the width being an extension in the peripheral direction of the cup, and a third and a fourth flap having a second width, wherein the first width is larger than the second width.

The embodiment inshows a blankaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The blank is a blankfor forming a sidewallof a cup, wherein the cupis in particular suitable for holding a drinkable foodstuff, such as a drinkable liquid. Such a drinkable liquid may e.g. be hot or cold, carbonated or non-carbonated, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, high-viscous or low-viscous. Examples for such liquids are—in a non-exhaustive manner—coffee, water, soft drinks, hot or cold cocoa, beer, etc.

The blankmay be formed as a unitary piece, such as from a paper-based sheet of material. In some embodiments, all materials of the blankare bio-based and/or bio-degradable. This may in particular include any adhesives used. The sheet of material may include at least one base layer and at least one further layer, such as a liquid-barrier layer, which may be arranged at a side of the base layer intended to form an inner side of the cup.

The present blankis a blankfor forming a sidewall of a cup. It therefore exhibits a generally curved shape, such that it may be rolled and connected at the bottom to a—separately provided—base. The blankmay include a sidewall. At the lower end portionof the sidewall, the blankoptionally includes a bottom flapor at least a section intended for connection to a base(cf.).

Here, the blankfurthermore includes a side flapalong its right side for closing off the sidewallwhen forming the cup. Again, this side flapmay also be a section intended for receiving a, preferably bio-based and/or bio-degradable, adhesive used for connecting the left and right edges of the sidewall.

On the sidewall, two lines are indicated, a first filling line Fand a second filling line F. Those lines are merely optional and may be used to indicate a preferred/recommended filling level of liquid in the cup.

On its upper end, the blankincludes at least four flaps,,,. The blankmay optionally include more than those four flaps,,,. The first flapand the second flapinclude a width W. This means that according to the embodiment shown here, the first flapand the second flappreferably includes the same width W. The third flapand the fourth flapconversely includes a width W, wherein the third flapand the fourth flapin this embodiment include the same width W.

All of these flaps,,,are connected to an upper end portionof the sidewall via respective folding lines,,,. The first, second, third and fourth flap,,,are not connected directly to any of the other flaps,,,above said respective folding lines,,,.

When forming the cup, the first flap, second flap, third flapand fourth flapare configured for being folded along their respective folding lines,,,in order to form a lidof the cup. The folding lines,,,extend from one edge of a flap,,,to the other edge of the flap,,,.

Here, the first flapincludes a central tab on its upper end which is intended to or configured to cooperate in the closed position with a corresponding cut-out of the second flapsuch as to securely lock the lid.

Because according to the presently discussed embodiment, the cupincludes a generally round, such as circular, cross section, the folding lines,,,are rounded as well, in particular in the form of a circular arc (section).

The third flapand the fourth flapfurthermore includes further respective folding lines,, located above the folding lines,. The further folding lines,are respectively mirror-symmetrical to the folding lines,with respect to a straight line connecting the respective edges of the third and fourth flap,. The third flapand the fourth flapare then intended or configured to be folded inwards along both the respective folding lines,and the respective further folding lines,.

According to the present disclosure, the third flapincludes a drinking opening, which is arranged at a central position of the third flapat the edge to the sidewall, i.e. it is delimited by the folding lineand a cut line. The drinking openingmay be a straw hole, i.e. an opening configured for receiving a straw, or a sip hole, i.e. an opening configured to be contacted by the mouth of a user for sipping the liquid containing in the cup. The drinking openingis closed off before use by a drinking opening flap not shown here. This drinking opening flap may be opened or even removed before drinking.

The first, second, third and fourth flap,,,are dimensioned and shaped such that when they are folded from an open position to a closed position, they do not abut on the sidewalland such that they form a lidwhich completely closes the top opening of the cup.

In,,and, a cupaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in different perspectives views and in open and closed positions of the flaps,,,. The embodiment shown in these figures is substantially the same. Therefore, the corresponding explanations apply to all of those figures. Furthermore, the cupshown in these figures is preferably formed from the blankas discussed with reference to.

In, a cupaccording to an exemplary preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in an open position and in a perspective view from above. The sidewallof the blankhas been rolled up and the side flaphas been connected to the abutting edge region, e.g. by an adhesive, thus closing the sidewall. Furthermore, the sidewallhas been closed at its lower end portionby a—here circular—base, which will be more closely discussed with reference to.

The cupshown inis ready to be filled with a foodstuff, such as a drinkable liquid. The flaps,,,are still projecting upwards from the upper end portionof the sidewall, i.e. they do not yet form a lid. The cupthus includes a large top opening. Here, the sidewallis shaped such that the cupincludes a generally frustoconical form, although other shapes are possible as well.

In, the cupofis shown in a perspective view from below. As can be seen here, the baseis a substantially circular base which is connected to the sidewalla predetermined distance away from the lower end of the sidewall, e.g. by a bio-based and/or bio-degradable adhesive. Thus, an annular ring of the sidewallis created on which the cuprests when being positioned on a flat surface. This is advantageous, as this ensures a desirable stand, e.g. if the basebulges outwardly, i.e. it assumes a convex shape due to the weight and/or temperature of the liquid contained in the cup. Furthermore, if the cupholds a hot liquid, the heat transfer from the liquid to the surface on which it rests is advantageously reduced.

In, the cupaccording to an exemplary preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in a closed position and in a perspective view from above. After filling the cup with a liquid, such as up to a height between the first filling line Fand the second filling line F, the opening needs to be closed in order to allow the cupto be safely transported without a risk of spilling the liquid.

In order to close the opening and form a lid, the first flapand the second flapas well as the third flapand the fourth flapneed to be folded inwards along the respective folding lines,,,. Additionally, the third flapand the fourth flapare also folded inwards along their respective further folding lines,. Preferably, firstly the third flapand the fourth flapare folded inwards along the respective folding lines,and subsequently folded along the respective further folding lines,. Thus, a second face B and a third face C are created, which are inclined inwardly with respect to the sidewallat an angle lower than 90° and more than 0°.

The second flapis then folded inwardly along its folding line, followed by the folding of the first flapalong its folding line, wherein the first flapand the second flaptogether define a first face A of the lid. Finally, the optional tab of the first flapis inserted into a corresponding optional opening or cut-out of the second flapto secure the lidin place, thus reducing or eliminating the risk of an unintentional opening of the lid.

Now, if the user at any time wishes to consume, i.e. drink, the liquid contained in the cup, the user may open the drinking openinglocated at the third flap, which is initially closed by a drinking opening flap, as indicated in. The drinking opening flap may be folded outwardly (or inwardly) along its portion of the folding line. Alternatively or additionally, the drinking opening flap may be completely removed, such as torn off.

As can be seen in, the second face B is inclined with respect to the sidewalland the first face A. The drinking openingarranged on the second face B is therefore ergonomically better positioned to be contacted by a user's mouth. This advantageously reduces the risk of spilling the liquid contained in the cup.

Preferably, the first face A is concave, i.e. it bulges inwardly. This helps in ensuring a closed lid during transport and advantageously enables stacking of multiple closed cups.