This invention relates to disposable drinking cups which include means for supporting mobile electronic devices, and cell phones in particular, so that the devices may be viewed and used while beverages are consumed from the cups.
It is common to see patrons of restaurants, and in particular fast food restaurants, utilize their cell phones, mini pads, or the like while eating at the restaurants and in particular while consuming beverages. Specialized drinking cups, which usually involve straws for drinking the beverages, which would support such electronic devices for viewing, would provide a convenience for these patrons and their offering by restaurants, and particularly fast food restaurants, would provide an attraction for customers.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to drinking cups for beverages which provide supports for electronic devices either by the configuration of straws associated with the drinking cups or by the cup covers.
In certain embodiments of the invention, which will be subsequently disclosed in detail, an electronic device holder is provided in the form of a unique drinking straw looped in such a way as to provide a holder for a cell phone or the like and having two ends, one extending downward from the holder for insertion into a beverage cup and a second projecting beyond the front of the cell phone holding section for the user to sip the beverage while observing and utilizing the cell phone.
In alternative embodiments of the invention a disposable cap for beverage containers provides a recess which may support the lower end of a cell phone in an upright manner so that it extends substantially perpendicularly above the top surface of the cup and thus may be observed and utilized while the beverage in the cup is consumed through a straw extending through the container top.
In still another embodiment of the invention the top of a beverage container may be provided with a volume of manually deformable plastic with a pressure-sensitive surface which retains the cell phone in contact with the cover. The pressure-sensitive device may be designed to support phones of different bottom configurations.
A more detailed understanding of the present invention and its objects, advantages, and applications, will be made apparent by reference to the accompanying detailed description of these preferred embodiments. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
A first embodiment of my invention, illustrated in
This allows a user to sip beverage from the container 13 through the straw while viewing the screen of the cell phone 11 and manipulating the cell phone in a desirable manner. When finished, the cell phone 11 may be easily removed from the loops 10 and the straw discarded. As the user sips through the straw, the progress of the beverage through the straw may be observed.
The top side of the cover 16 is integrally formed with a bracket 18 which underlies the opposed bottom corners of the cell phone 15 and has an upward extension around the two sides of the cell phone to support the cell phone in a generally perpendicular attitude to the top surface of the cover 16. The cover is preferably formed with an integrated straw 20 which has one end projecting through the cover 16 and extending above the cover and a second end 22 extending into a beverage container 24.
Again, the user may view and operate the cell phone 15 while sipping the beverage in the container 24.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
This application claims priority of U.S. Patent Application 61/772,427 filed Mar. 4, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61772427 | Mar 2013 | US |