Insulated Cup Holder

Abstract

An insulated cup holder includes outer and inner walls separated by an empty volume, and a gap between a cup and the inner walls. A silicone ring at the top of the inner wall seals and holds the cup, and the inner walls are tapered to contact a base of the cup to seat the cup in the cup holder above an inner shell base, and the only contact between the inner shell and the cup walls is at the cup base.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cup holders and in particular to an insulated cup holder.

Generally, drinkers prefer drinks to be cold or hot. Such drinks are easily provided at a desired temperature, but depending on ambient temperature, the drinks may quickly lose the desired temperature. Known insulated cups provide some ability to retain temperature, but a desire remains for better insulation.

Known cup holders also result in the cup resting against the bottom of the holder. Such contact may either reduce the thermal insulation of the cup from the cup holder, and may provide instability when the cup holder is tilted while drinking, producing an uncomfortable sensation. A desire remains for a cup holder retaining the cup securely separated from the cup holder as much as possible.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing an insulated cup holder which includes outer and inner walls separated by an empty volume, and a gap between a cup and the inner walls. A silicone ring at the top of the inner wall seals and holds the cup, and the inner walls are tapered to contact a base of the cup to seat the cup in the cup holder above an inner shell base, and the only contact between the inner shell and the cup walls is at the cup base.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an insulated cup holder having an annular sealing and holding ring for engaging near the top of a cup residing in the cup holder.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a tapered inner wall inside an outer wall, tapering away from the outer wall towards the base of the holder and towards the base of a cup in the holder. The outer wall provides a stable base and the inner wall provides a contact ring for the cup held in the holder

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an insulated cup holder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the insulated cup holder according to the present invention taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the insulated cup holder according to the present invention holding a cup taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the insulated cup holder according to the present invention taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.

Where the terms “about” or “generally” are associated with an element of the invention, it is intended to describe a feature's appearance to the human eye or human perception, and not a precise measurement.

A side view of an insulated cup holder 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and a cross-sectional view of the insulated cup holder 10 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. The insulated cup holder 10 includes an outer shell 12, an inner shell 14, and optionally a lid 18. The outer shell 12 includes an outer wall 12a and a base 12b. The inner shell 14 resides inside the outer shell 12 and separated from the outer shell 12 by a first insulating volume (or gap) 16, and includes an inner shell wall 14a, an inner shell base 14b, and an inner shell top 14c. The outer and inner shells 12 and 14 preferably are only attached proximal to the inner wall top 14c. The volume 16 is preferably sealed from ambient air and may be partially evacuated to improve insulation. The inner shell had a height H1, a top diameter D1, and a bottom diameter D2.

An annular ring 20 resides inside the inner shell top 14c of the inner shell 14, and has an inside diameter D5 and a width W. The annular ring 20 is preferably made from silicone or a similar material. The lid 18 is preferably a domed lid providing space for a portion of the cup 30 extending above the top of the shells 12 and 14. The outer shell walls 12a are tapered at a first taper T1, and the inner shell walls 14a are tapered at a second taper T2. The taper T2 may be a greater taper than the taper T1, or they may be the same taper.

A cross-sectional view of the insulated cup holder 10 holding a cup 30 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 3 and a cross-sectional view of the insulated cup holder 10 taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4. The cup 30 includes a cup top 30c having a greater diameter than an inside diameter D5 of the annular ring 30 (see FIG. 2). Sides 30a of the cup 30 engage the annular ring 20 with an interference fit to position the top of the cup 30 in the holder 10 and seal a volume 24 between the cup 20 and the inner shell 14. Additionally, the taper T2 (see FIG. 2) of the inner shell walls 14a is greater than a taper T3 of the cup 30, and as a result, the bottom 30b of the cup 30 rests against the walls 14a of the inner shell 14, and above the base 14b of the inner shell 14. The cooperation of the inner shell walls 14a and the cup walls 30a position the cup 30 in the base 10 provides the volume 24 between the cup 30 and inner shell 14 to further insulate the cup 30, and holds the cup bottom 30b above the inner shell bottom 14b providing a more stable fit of the cup 30 into the holder 10 than provided when the bottom of the cup 30 rests against the bottom of the cup holder 10. The cup 30 has a height H2, a top diameter D3, and a bottom diameter D4. The diameter D4 is preferably greater than the diameter D2 (see FIG. 2) so that the cup bottom 30b does not reach the inner shell bottom 14d when the cup 30 resides in the cup holder 10. In one embodiment, the height H2 is less than the height H1 and the cup 30 resides under the lid 18 when in the cup holder 10.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. An insulated cup holder comprising: an outer shell comprising: outer shell walls; andan outer shell base;an inner shell comprising: inner shell walls;an inner shell base; andan inner shell top, the inner shell residing inside the outer shell, and the inner shell wall tapering smaller towards the inner shell base;the inner shell and the outer shell connected proximal to the inner shell top;a first volume between the outer shell and the inner shell; andan annular ring extending inward from the inner shell top, the annular ring having a ring inner diameter D5 smaller than a cup top diameter D3 of a cup insertable into the cup holder.

2. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein the inner shell is fixedly attached to the outer shell proximal to the inner shell top.

3. The insulated cup holder of claim 2, wherein the inner shell is solely attached to the outer shell proximal to the inner shell top.

4. The insulated cup holder of claim 2, wherein the first volume is sealed.

5. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein: the inner shell base diameter D2 is smaller than a cup base diameter D4 of a cup insertable into the cup holder; andthe cup insertable into the cup holder cannot be inserted into the cup holder sufficiently for the cup base to contact the inner shell base of the cup holder.

6. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein: the inner shell walls taper smaller towards the inner shell base at a taper T2 and the cup insertable into the cup holder has cup walls tapering smaller towards the cup base a taper T3, the taper T3 less than the taper T2; andthe cup insertable into the cup holder cannot be inserted into the cup holder sufficiently for the cup base to contact the inner shell base of the cup holder.

7. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein relative dimensions of the inner shell and the cup insertable into the cup holder, allow the cup insertable into the cup holder to be partially insertable into the inner shell, but the cup insertable into the cup holder cannot be inserted into the cup holder sufficiently for the cup base to contact the inner shell base of the cup holder.

8. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein the inner shell has a height H1 and the cup insertable into the cup holder has a height H2, the height H2 less than the height H1, and the cup insertable into the cup holder is not completely insertable completely into the cup holder.

9. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein contact between the cup holder and the cup insertable into the cup holder is limited to, contact between the annular ring of the cup holder and a cup wall of the cup insertable into the cup holder, and contact between a base of the cup insertable into the cup holder and the inner shell walls, and no other contact between the cup holder and the cup insertable into the cup holder.

10. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein: the inner shell walls taper smaller towards the inner shell base at a taper T2;the outer shell walls taper smaller towards the outer shell base at a taper T1; andthe taper T2 is greater than the taper T1.

11. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, wherein the inner shell base is spaced vertically apart and above the outer shell base.

12. The insulated cup holder of claim 1, further including a domed lid attachable to and detachable from the cup holder.

13. A cup and insulated cup holder comprising: the cup having: cup walls;a cup base;a height H2;a top diameter D3; anda base diameter D4;the cup holder comprising: an outer shell comprising: outer shell walls; andan outer shell base;an inner shell comprising: inner shell walls;an inner shell base spaced vertically apart from the outer shell base; andan inner shell wall top, the inner shell residing inside the outer shell, and the inner shell wall tapering smaller from the inner shell wall top to the inner shell base;the inner shell and the outer shell fixedly connected proximal to the inner shell wall top;a sealed first volume between the outer shell and the inner shell;an annular ring extending inward a ring width W of about ¼ inches from the inner shell wall top, the annular ring having a ring inner diameter D5 smaller than the top diameter D3 of the cup;an inner shell base diameter D2 is smaller than the cup base diameter D4; andcontact between the cup holder and the cup is limited to contact between the annular ring of the cup holder and the cup walls and contact between the cup base and the inner shell walls, and no other contact between the cup holder and the cup.

13. A cup and insulated cup holder comprising: the cup having: cup walls;a cup base;a height H2;a top diameter D3; anda base diameter D4;the cup holder comprising: an outer shell comprising: outer shell walls; andan outer shell base;an inner shell comprising: inner shell walls;an inner shell base spaced vertically apart from the outer shell base; andan inner shell wall top, the inner shell residing inside the outer shell, and the inner shell wall tapering smaller towards the inner shell base;the inner shell and the outer shell fixedly connected proximal to the inner shell wall top;a first volume between the outer shell and the inner shell;an annular ring extending inward a ring width W of about ¼ inches from the inner shell wall top, the annular ring having a ring inner diameter D5 smaller than the top diameter D3 of the cup;an inner shell base diameter D2 is smaller than a cup base diameter D4; andthe inner shell walls taper smaller towards the inner shell base at a taper T2 and the cup walls taper smaller towards the cup base at a taper T3, the taper T3 less than the taper T2;