Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of packaging materials for shipping beverage containers.
Packaging for beverage containers of different sizes, e.g., 11 ounce mugs and 15 ounce mugs, has historically required two different sizes of packaging to accommodate each size of beverage container. The use of two different types of packaging, as compared to using a single universal packaging as described herein, results in higher costs in creating the packaging, additional time in working with different materials to pack the beverage containers, and the burden of managing the storage of the two different sizes of packaging.
Universal packaging for beverage containers of different sizes is described. The universal packaging includes a bottom support structure including an opening having an interior floor surface, the interior floor surface having a first diameter. A raised cylinder extends upwards from the interior floor surface, the raised cylinder having a base of a second diameter that is less than the first diameter. A beverage container of a first height fits within the opening in the bottom support by placing an open side of the beverage container down upon the interior floor surface, the raised cylinder extending into an interior of the beverage container of the first height. A beverage container of a second height, the second height being less than the first height, fits within the opening in the bottom support by placing a solid bottom surface of the beverage container of the second height down upon an upper surface of the raised cylinder.
Other features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.
Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
Universal packaging for beverage containers of different sizes is described. In one embodiment, a beverage container of a first height is a 15 oz. mug and a beverage container of a second height is an 11 oz. mug. Alternatively, one or both beverage containers are a mug, a cup, glass, vase, or another vessel of a similar shape (collectively referred to herein as a beverage container). In one embodiment, the beverage container of the first height is of a greater height than the beverage container of the second height while the beverage containers are of different sizes than 15 oz. and 11 oz., respectively.
In one embodiment, the bottom support structure 100 is a rectangular cuboid. As used herein, a cuboid refers to a structure bounded by six faces in which opposite faces are equal in size. In one embodiment, the cuboid is a square cuboid—i.e., at least two faces are square in shape. In one embodiment the top and bottom faces are square in shape. In one embodiment the sides of the squares that make up the top and bottom faces are between 130 and 140 millimeters in length, e.g., 136 millimeters in length. In one embodiment, the cuboid is a cube—i.e., all six faces are square in shape. In an alternate embodiment, the bottom support structure 100 is another geometric shape, e.g., a cylinder or polyhedron with an n-sided polygonal base. In one embodiment, one or more of the corners of a face are cut at an angle 130 or rounded.
An opening in an exterior top surface 105 of a bottom support structure 100 is defined by an interior cylindrical wall 110, an interior floor surface 115, and a raised cylinder 120 that extends upwards from the interior floor surface 115. The diameter of the interior floor surface 115, where the interior floor surface 115 meets the interior cylindrical wall 110, is wide enough to accommodate the exterior diameter of a beverage container within the opening. In one embodiment, the interior floor surface 115 has a diameter between 80 and 100 millimeters—e.g., 82.5 millimeters. The diameter of the raised cylinder 120 is smaller than the interior diameter of a beverage container, allowing the raised cylinder 120 to fit inside the opening of the beverage container. In one embodiment, the diameter of the raised cylinder 120 is between 60 and 80 millimeters—e.g., 65 millimeters.
In one embodiment, the raised cylinder 120 is ring-shaped, having a hollow center 135. For example, the floor of the hollow center 135 is at the same height from the bottom exterior surface of the bottom support structure 100 as the interior floor surface 115. In an alternate embodiment, the raised cylinder 120 is solid or includes a partially hollow center that has a floor at a different height than the interior floor surface 115.
In one embodiment, the opening includes a notched area 125 to accommodate a handle of or other protrusion (hereinafter collectively referred to as a handle) from a beverage container. An embodiment with a notch for a handle is configured to ship a beverage container or other vessel with a handle—e.g., a mug, a cup, glass, vase, or another vessel of a similar shape (collectively referred to herein as a beverage container). The notch 125 is an opening in, and radially projecting from, the interior cylindrical wall 110. In one embodiment, the notch 125 has a floor that is at the same height (from the bottom exterior surface of the bottom support structure 100) as the interior floor surface 115. Alternatively, the floor of the notch 125 is a different height than the interior floor surface 115 while maintaining enough depth from the exterior top surface 105 to accommodate the handle.
In one embodiment, the exterior top surface 105 of the bottom support structure 100 includes an elevated perimeter 140 which can be mated with a recessed perimeter of a top support structure, as will be described with further reference to
In one embodiment, the opening includes one or more notches 145 to reduce the amount of material required to create the bottom support structure 100. In one embodiment, the one or more notches 145 are configured to accommodate a finger to grip a side of a beverage container when the beverage container is inserted into the opening. The notch 145 is an opening in, and radially projecting from, the interior cylindrical wall 110. In one embodiment, the notch 145 has a floor that is at the same height as the interior floor surface 115. Alternatively, the floor of the notch 145 is a different height than the interior floor surface 115.
An opening in an exterior bottom surface 205 of a top support structure 200 is defined by an interior cylindrical wall 210, an interior ceiling surface 215, and a raised cylinder 220 that extends downwards from the interior ceiling surface 215. The diameter of the interior ceiling surface 215, where the interior ceiling surface 215 meets the interior cylindrical wall 210, is wide enough to accommodate the exterior diameter of a beverage container within the opening. In one embodiment, the interior ceiling surface 215 has a diameter between 80 and 100 millimeters—e.g., 82.5 millimeters. The diameter of the raised cylinder 220 is smaller than the interior diameter of a beverage container, allowing the raised cylinder 220 to fit inside the opening of a beverage container. In one embodiment, the diameter of the raised cylinder 220 is between 60 and 80 millimeters—e.g., 65 millimeters. In an alternate embodiment, the top support structure 200 does not include a raised cylinder 220.
In one embodiment, the raised cylinder 220 is ring-shaped, having a hollow center 235. For example, the ceiling of the hollow center 235 is at the same height as the interior ceiling surface (e.g., said height being measured from the top exterior surface of the top support structure 200). In an alternate embodiment, the raised cylinder 220 is solid or includes a partially hollow center with a ceiling that is of a different height than the interior ceiling surface 215.
In one embodiment, the opening in the exterior bottom surface 205 of the top support structure 200 includes a notched area 225 to accommodate a handle of a beverage container. The notch 225 is an opening in, and radially projecting from, the interior cylindrical wall 210. In one embodiment, the ceiling of the notch 225 is at the same height as the interior ceiling surface 215 (e.g., said height being measured from the top exterior surface of the top support structure 200). Alternatively, the notch 225 is a different height than the interior ceiling surface 215 while maintaining enough depth from the exterior bottom surface 205 to accommodate the handle.
In one embodiment, the exterior bottom surface 205 of the top support structure 200 includes a recessed perimeter 240 in which the elevated perimeter 140 of the bottom support structure 100 can be placed, as will be described with further reference to
In one embodiment, the opening includes one or more notches 145 to reduce the amount of material required to create the packaging. In one embodiment, the one or more notches 145 are configured to accommodate a finger to grip a side of a beverage container when the beverage container is inserted into the opening.
In one embodiment, the opening in the exterior bottom surface 205 of the top support structure 200 includes one or more notches 245 to reduce the amount of material required to create the top support structure 200. In one embodiment, the one or more notches 245 are configured to accommodate a finger to grip a side of a beverage container when the beverage container is inserted into the opening. The notch 245 is an opening in, and radially projecting from, the interior cylindrical wall 210. In one embodiment, the notch 245 has a ceiling that is at the same height as the interior ceiling surface 215 (e.g., said height being measured from the top exterior surface of the top support structure 200). Alternatively, the ceiling of the notch 245 is a different height than the interior ceiling surface 215.
In one embodiment, the recessed perimeter 240 of the top support structure 200 mates with the elevated perimeter 140 of the bottom support structure 100, as depicted in
The embodiments illustrated in
In one embodiment, the bottom support structure 100 includes an opening of a depth configured to receive the entire height of beverage containers of different heights. According to this embodiment, when the beverage container of the first height is placed with the open side of the beverage container down upon the interior floor surface 115, the raised cylinder 120 extends into the interior of the beverage container and the height of the exterior top surface 105 is equal to or greater than the height of the solid bottom of the beverage container from the interior floor surface 115. When the beverage container of the second height is placed with the solid bottom side of the beverage container down upon the raised cylinder 120, the height of the exterior top surface 105 is equal to or greater than the height of the top open side of the beverage container from the top of the raised cylinder 120.
In one embodiment, the bottom support structure 400 is a rectangular cuboid. In one embodiment, the cuboid is a square cuboid—i.e., at least two faces are square in shape. In one embodiment the top and bottom faces are square in shape. In one embodiment the sides of the squares that make up the top and bottom faces are between 100 and 140 millimeters in length. In one embodiment, the cuboid is a cube—i.e., all six faces are square in shape. In an alternate embodiment, the bottom support structure 100 is another geometric shape, e.g., a cylinder or polyhedron with an n-sided polygonal base. In one embodiment, one or more of the corners of a face are cut at an angle 430 or rounded.
An opening in an exterior top surface 405 of a bottom support structure 400 is defined by an interior cylindrical wall 410, an interior floor surface 415, and a raised cylinder 420 that extends upwards from the interior floor surface 415. The diameter of the interior floor surface 415, where the interior floor surface 415 meets the interior cylindrical wall 410, is wide enough to accommodate the exterior diameter of a beverage container within the opening. In one embodiment, the interior floor surface 415 has a diameter between 80 and 100 millimeters—e.g., 82.5 millimeters. The diameter of the raised cylinder 420 is smaller than the interior diameter of a beverage container, allowing the raised cylinder 420 to fit inside the opening of the beverage container. In one embodiment, the diameter of the raised cylinder 420 is between 60 and 80 millimeters—e.g., 65 millimeters.
In one embodiment, the raised cylinder 420 is ring-shaped, having a hollow center 435. For example, the floor of the hollow center 435 is at the same height as the interior floor surface 415. In an alternate embodiment, the raised cylinder 420 is solid or includes a partially hollow center that has a floor at a different height than the interior floor surface 415. In one embodiment, the exterior top surface 405 of the bottom support structure 400 includes an elevated perimeter 440 to receive a top support structure.
In one embodiment, the opening in the bottom support structure 400 includes one or more notches 445 to reduce the amount of material required to create the bottom support structure 400. In one embodiment, the one or more notches 445 are configured to accommodate a finger to grip a side of a beverage container when the beverage container is inserted into the opening. The notch 445 is an opening in, and radially projecting from, the interior cylindrical wall 410. In one embodiment, the notch 445 has a floor that is at the same height as the interior floor surface 415 (said height measured from a bottom exterior surface of the bottom support structure 400). Alternatively, the floor of the notch 445 is a different height than the interior floor surface 415.
As illustrated in
For example, in one embodiment, the depth of the opening of the bottom support structure 100 is greater than the height of the raised cylinder 120 and the height of the raised cylinder 120 is greater than the interior depth of the beverage container of a second height. According to this embodiment, the raised cylinder 120 would not extend beyond the exterior top surface 105 of the bottom support structure 100. In such an embodiment, a top support structure 300, as illustrated in and described with reference to
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be evident that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130032498 A1 | Feb 2013 | US |