Beverage container
View Patent ↗A beverage container for mixing a beverage is disclosed. The beverage container includes a cup having a stirring flap integral to an internal side wall of the cup. The stifling flap has a sine wave shape and comprises a top fin protruding near the top of the internal wall and a bottom fin protruding near the bottom of the internal wall of the cup. The top fin and the bottom fin are separated by a central portion. The cup is swirled in a circular motion by a person's hand to mix the liquid contained within. The central portion allows liquid to pass freely through the middle of the cup to gain momentum when the cup is swirled. The bottom fin has the shape of a lower case letter ‘h’, to allow solid material gathered in the bottom of the cup to pass underneath the bottom fin and mix with liquid.
1. A beverage container comprising:
a. a cup made of a material having a stirring flap integral to an internal side wall of the cup, the stirring flap extending internally;
b. the stirring flap comprises:
i. a top fin protruding near the top of the internal wall of the cup; the top fin having a top edge, a lateral edge and a bottom edge; wherein the top edge extends internally at an upward angle until it meets the lateral edge at an apex and, following the apex, the lateral edge extends downward until it meets the bottom edge; and
ii. a bottom fin protruding near the bottom of the internal wall of the cup, the bottom fin having a top edge, a lateral edge and a bottom edge;
c. wherein the top fin and the bottom fin are separated by a central portion, the central portion comprising a recess thereby allowing liquid to pass freely through the middle of the cup to gain momentum when the cup is swirled;
d. wherein the stirring flap is constructed from the same material as the cup.
2. The beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the top edge of the bottom fin and the bottom edge of the top fin together form a sine wave shape about the central portion and the apex comprises a rounded tip extending just below the surface of liquid contents of the cup when the cup is full thereby causing the liquid contents to fold on to itself when the cup is swirled thereby minimizing liquid from escaping the cup.
3. The beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the bottom edge of the bottom fin has the shape of a lower case letter ‘h’ thereby allowing solid material that may gather in the bottom of the cup to pass underneath the bottom fin and mix with the liquid.
4. The beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the stirring flap is perforated.
5. The beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the top fin has exactly 3 holes.
6. The beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the bottom fin has exactly 3 holes.
7. The beverage container of claim 4 , wherein the perforations comprise a plurality of substantially circular holes, the substantially circular holes having a diameter between three sixteenths of an inch and six sixteenths of an inch.
8. The beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the cup is made of disposable material selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, foam, and plastic, and the stirring flap comprises an extension of the disposable material that extends past a glue point of the cup.
9. A method of mixing a beverage comprising:
a. providing a beverage container, the beverage container comprising:
i. a cup made of a material having a stirring flap integral to an internal side wall of the cup wherein the stirring flap is constructed from the same material as the cup, the stirring flap extending internally;
ii. the stirring flap comprises a top fin protruding near the top of the internal wall of the cup; the top fin having a top edge, a lateral edge, and a bottom edge; wherein the top edge extends internally at an upward angle until it meets the lateral edge at an apex, wherein following the apex, the lateral edge extends downward until it meets the bottom edge; and a bottom fin protruding near the bottom of the internal wall of the cup, the bottom fin having a top edge, a lateral edge, and a bottom edge;
iii. wherein the top fin and the bottom fin are separated by a central portion, the central portion comprising a recess thereby allowing liquid to pass freely through the middle to gain momentum when the cup is swirled in a circular fashion;
b. swirling the beverage container in a circular motion.
10. The method of mixing a beverage of claim 9 , wherein the cup is capable of being swirled by a person's hand.
11. The method of mixing a beverage of claim 9 , wherein the stirring flap has a sine wave shape with a rounded tip the top fin, the rounded tip extends just below the surface of liquid contents of the cup when the cup is full thereby causing the liquid contents to fold on to itself when the cup is swirled thereby minimizing liquid from escaping the cup.
12. The method of mixing a beverage of claim 9 , wherein the bottom fin has the shape of a lower case letter ‘h’ thereby allowing solid material that may gather in the bottom of the cup to pass underneath the bottom fin and mix with the liquid.
13. The method of mixing a beverage of claim 9 , wherein the stirring flap is perforated.
14. The method of mixing a beverage of claim 9 , wherein the top fin has exactly 3 holes.
15. The method of mixing a beverage of claim 9 , wherein the perforations comprise a plurality of substantially circular holes, the substantially circular holes having a diameter between three sixteenths of an inch and six sixteenths of an inch.
16. The method of mixing a beverage of claim 13 , wherein the cup is made of disposable material selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, foam, and plastic, and the stirring flap comprises an extension of the disposable material that extends past a glue point of the cup.