Cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to a mouth of a user
The present disclosure describes a cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to a mouth of a user. The cup system includes an outer cup, an inner cup, a lid, and a cap. The outer cup includes an upper lip with a threaded surface configured to engage with a mating threaded surface of a lid. The inner cup includes an engaging lip configured to engage with a lower inner lip and configured to form a seal between the inner cup and the lid, as well as a flange located below the engaging lip that extends outward from a periphery of the inner cup. The lid includes an outer wall with a lower outer lip comprising the mating threaded surface, the mating threaded surface is configured to engage with a threaded surface. The cap includes a mating engagement feature configured to engage with an inner wall engagement feature.
1 . A cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to a mouth of a user, the cup system comprising:
an outer cup having an outer cup inner surface and including an upper lip comprising a threaded surface configured to engage with a mating threaded surface;
a lid having a lid inner surface and comprising:
an outer wall having a lower outer lip comprising the mating threaded surface, the mating threaded surface configured to engage with the threaded surface;
an inner wall defining a central opening, wherein a top edge of the inner wall is connected to a top edge of the outer wall, the inner wall comprising an engagement feature configured to engage with a mating engagement feature in a cap and having a lower inner lip configured to engage with an inner cup;
a fluid passage in the lid interposed between the lower outer lip and an inner edge of the lid, wherein the inner edge is at a periphery of the central opening; and
a vent hole;
the cap comprising:
the mating engagement feature configured to engage with the inner wall engagement feature, whereby upon engagement of the engagement features the cap is removably coupled to the lid and the central opening is spanned by the cap; and
an opening; and
the inner cup having an inner cup outer surface and comprising:
an engaging lip configured to engage with the lower inner lip and configured to form a seal between the inner cup and the lid; and
a flange located below the engaging lip and extending outward a flange length from a periphery of the inner cup outer surface, wherein when the cup system is assembled by placing a first contents in the inner cup, placing a second contents in the outer cup, and engaging the lid with the inner cup, the outer cup and the cap, a space is formed between the inner cup outer surface, the outer cup inner surface, and the lid inner surface, whereby the second contents is retained within the space and the flange extends past the inner wall of the lid, into the space, and towards the outer cup inner surface, wherein the flange length further comprises at least half of a distance between the inner cup outer surface and the outer cup inner surface at the flange location, and the cap opening is configured to pass the first contents out of the inner cup simultaneously with the second contents being passed through the space, past the flange, and discharged from the fluid passage in response to at least partial inversion of the cup.
2 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 1 , wherein a top rim is interposed between the top edge of the outer wall and the top edge of the inner wall.
3 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 2 , wherein the fluid passage is located in the top rim.
4 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 3 , wherein the top rim is angled upward from the fluid passage such that the fluid passage is positioned at a trough of the top rim, and the rim arcs continuously upward from the fluid passage.
5 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 2 , wherein the vent hole is located in the top rim.
6 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement feature of the lid inner wall includes a horizontal rib.
7 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 1 , wherein the cap has a raised, convex shape.
8 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 1 , the cap and the inner wall of the lid further comprising matching key structures such that coupling of the cap to the inner wall requires matching of the key structures.
9 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 1 , further comprising a pod configured to be removably coupled to the cup system by sandwiching an outer flange of the pod between a ledge of the inner wall of the lid and a lower rim of the cap.
10 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 3 , wherein the fluid passage and the vent hole are controllably sealed by a mechanism coupled to the lid that is activated by a button coupled to the top rim of the lid.
11 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated cups to the mouth of the user of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of a portion of the lid directly surrounding the vent hole is a raised convex oval shape.
12 . A cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated areas to a mouth of a user, the cup system comprising:
an outer cup having an outer cup inner surface and comprising an upper lip comprising a threaded surface configured to engage with a mating threaded surface;
a lid having a lid inner surface and comprising:
an outer wall having a lower outer lip comprising the mating threaded surface, the mating threaded surface configured to engage with the threaded surface;
an inner wall defining a central opening, wherein a top edge of the inner wall is connected to a top edge of the outer wall, the inner wall comprising at least one engagement feature configured to engage with a mating engagement feature in a cap, the inner wall and to engage with an inner cup and further comprising an inner ledge configured to support an outer flange of a pod cup;
a fluid passage in the lid interposed between the lower outer lip and an inner edge of the lid, wherein the inner edge is at a periphery of the central opening; and
a vent hole;
the pod cup comprising:
an engaging lip including the outer flange configured to seat on and be supported by the inner ledge of the lid such that a body of the pod cup extends downwards from the lid and an interior volume of the pod cup is in communication with the central opening;
a cap comprising:
the mating engagement feature configured to engage with the inner wall engagement feature, whereby upon engagement of the engagement features the cap is removably coupled to the lid and the central opening is spanned by the cap;
a lower rim configured such that when the engagement features are engaged, the outer flange is compressibly interposed between the inner ledge of the lid and the lower rim of the cap, whereby a fluid seal is formed between the pod cup, the cap, and the lid; and
an opening; and
an inner cup having an inner cup outer surface and comprising:
an engaging lip configured to engage with the lower inner lip and configured to form a seal between the inner cup and the lid; and
a flange located below the engaging lip and extending outward a flange length from a periphery of the inner cup outer surface, such that when the cup system is assembled by placing a first contents in the pod cup, placing a second contents in the outer cup, and engaging the lid with the pod cup, the outer cup, the inner cup, and the cap, a space is formed between the inner cup outer surface, the outer cup inner surface, and the lid, whereby the second contents is retained in the space and remains separated from the first contents, and the flange extends past the inner wall of the lid, into the space, and towards the outer cup inner surface, wherein the flange length further comprises at least half of a distance between the inner cup outer surface and the outer cup inner surface at the flange location, and the cap opening is configured to pass the first contents out of the pod cup simultaneously with the second contents being passed through the space, past the flange, and discharged from the fluid passage in response to at least partial inversion of the cup.
13 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated areas to the mouth of the user of claim 12 , wherein the outer flange further comprises a plurality of notches spaced around a perimeter of the flange, and wherein the inner wall further comprises a plurality of bosses configured to be received by the plurality of notches, whereby rotation of the pod cup with respect to the lid is prevented when the outer flange is seated on the inner ledge.
14 . The cup system for simultaneous delivery of contents from separated areas to the mouth of the user of claim 12 , wherein an outer surface of a portion of the lid directly surrounding the vent hole is a raised convex oval shape.