US20140224760A1

US20140224760A1 - Integrated container cover and drinking device and use of the same

Info

Publication number: US20140224760A1
Application number: US13/762,659
Authority: US
Inventors: Fares D Alsewailem
Original assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology KACST
Current assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology KACST
Priority date: 2013-02-08
Filing date: 2013-02-08
Publication date: 2014-08-14

Abstract

A novel integrated container cover is described to be used as a cup and a cover. There is a need to make a useful integrated container cover that can be used as a cup for consuming the contents of the container. This is specifically very useful for medication intake, or a soft drink intake. This invention is useful for travel purposes wherein one does not have to take two different objects if they have to carry water for drinking purposes. Integrated container cover comprises of a container cover that is used as a lid for the container. In between the container cover and the extended cup there is a thinner stretchable material or elongation means made up of synthetic material to form a bigger cup like structure. Once used it may be compressed or folded to fit into the extended cup and used as a cover for the container.

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

This disclosure generally relates to an integrated container cover that can be used as a drinking device as well and used back as cover for the container again.

BACKGROUND

The lids of the containers are small and one has to use another container to drink out of it. One needs to carry two different items at all times. This increases recycling efforts and storage efforts. Once one opens a beverage can one has to drink out of it directly and may have to store used liquid. Carrying two different items to drink and a means for drinking can be cumbersome and heavy.
There is a need to provide a more compact and efficient method to store and recycle usable products.

SUMMARY

The invention discloses a novel integrated container cover that may be used as a container cover and a drinking device. In one embodiment, the integrated container cover has three parts. In one part it has grooves for twisting to cover the container opening and claimed as container cover in the instant application. In second part is the stretched out cup. In the third part it has the extended cup.
In one embodiment, the ledge attached the stretched out cup to the container cover and it is performs a sealing function when the product is new. When the seal is broken and detached from the ledge the integrated container cover can be expanded. In one embodiment, the stretched out cup expands between the extended up and the container cover. In one embodiment, the stretched out cup may be made up of synthetic materials. The stretched out cup may have a specific shape when not expanded. It may be made up of folded sheets of material and/or accordion folded material. In another embodiment, the stretched out cup may refold once the drinking function is completed by the user and compress back to the original extended cup shape to fit back and align with container cover to make it into an integrated container cover once again. In another embodiment, the stretched out cup may also be made up of a thin film that is heat and cold resistant.
In one embodiment, a method of using the container cover is to rotate the integrated container cover open, unseal the ledge between the extended cup and the container cover to release the stretched out cup, extend and fully open the stretched out cup, fill in the contents from the container to the stretched out cup, finish the consuming the content, collapse the stretched out cup and click the junction to close the gap between the extended cup and container cover and screw the integrated container cover back to the container. This mode helps the content of the container to be secured and the drinking device to be secure.
The novel integrated container cover and method of using the integrated container cover, disclosed herein, may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying figures and from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and no limitation in the tables and in the accompanying figures, like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B shows a container 100 having an integrated container cover in closed position.

FIGS. 2A and 2B shows the container having an integrated container cover and container in open position.

FIG. 3 shows a method of drinking 300 from the integrated container cover.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C shows the method of compressing the integrated container cover 400 and extended cup and the stretched out cup 401 for resealing the container 402.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C shows a different structure for the integrated container cover to be used as a drinking device.

Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying figures and from the detailed description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Several embodiments for novel integrated container cover containing a container cover, extended cup and a stretched out cup are disclosed. Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.
FIG. 1A shows a container 100 that has an integrated container cover in a closed position. The arrows depict that it can be turned to open the integrated container cover. FIG. 1 B shows that the integrated container cover is dissociated from the container 100. The container 104 may contain products 102 that may be consumed by the user either at one time or more than one time. The groves on the neck of the container 112 are normal twist off type. The integrated container cover can be rejoined it with the container to perform a closing action. The integrated container cover may comprise of three parts. The first part container cover 106 has grooves that twist to close the container. The junction that has a seal 118 is between 106 twist cap and 110 extended cap to release the stretched out cap 202. The container may hold hot or cold liquid, solid or semi-solid contents.
FIG. 2A shows after unlocking the integrated container cover from the container, the container cover 106 can be separated from the extended cup 110 by breaking the seal at the ledge 108. The stretched out cup 202 is expanded to make the integrated container cover convert into a cup. The stretched out cup 202 may be made up of synthetic material. The stretched out cup may be 50 to 100 mm long. The synthetic material may be High-density polyethylene (HDPE), Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and/or polypropylene (PP) and not just limited to these synthetic materials. It may be made using biodegradable materials, biocompatible materials and if used only once can be made with recyclable materials such as paper. In FIG. 2B after the expansion of the integrated container device 200 is done it is inverted and the contents 102 of the container 104 are filled into the cup for consumption.
FIG. 3 shows the act of using 300 the integrated container cover as a drinking device.
FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C shows the method of compressing the container cover, the extended cup and stretched out cup for resealing the container. After use the stretched out cup may be compressed 400 and/or folded 401 to fit into the extended cup 110 to form the integrated container cover 106 and used again to reseal the container 402. The integrated container cup consists three parts. The container cover 106 and the extended cup 110 have two thick layers of HDPE or other synthetic material. They may be of equal thickness or different thickness and height. The integrated container cover can be may be made for any bottle size whether it is 0.33 ml water or soft drink bottles (diameter ˜30 mm) or large bottle such as 2 liters soda bottle and 5 or 15 liters water containers (Diameter ˜>40 mm). The height of the extended cup and the container cover may be between 4 mm to 9 mm in one embodiment. This integrated container cover may be used for other container and is not limited just too liquid containers. The stretched out cup 202 may be compressed or collapsed to fit into the extended cup when it is not in use. The extended cup may house the stretched out cup in a folded position.
FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C shows the method of using and also the structure of the stretched out cup. FIG. 5A shows the ledge 108 and the method of unsealing the container cover 106 from the extended cup 110 to release the stretched out cup 112. FIG. 5B shows that the stretched out cup can be in the shape of an accordion fold 502 and further stretching it would make it into a flat sheet 503 to form a cup in FIG. 5C. The material to make the stretched out cup may be synthetic, 0.1-0.4 mm thick. It may also be of a particular design such as a sheet, accordion design and/or a pleat. The extended cup may be larger in size than the container cover or may be of equal size. The stretched out cup may be of a specific width and length for creating an extension.
This integrated container cover is specifically useful for using as a medicine bottle cover so that a measured amount may be taken by converting the container cover into a extended container like structure and by expanding the stretched out cup and the extended cup. If a person is travelling they may use it for drinking hot or cold liquids by pouring out of the container and using the integrated container cover as a cup. Once they are done they can fold and cover the container back. This might avoid producing extra garbage and cross contamination between users. A personalized cup is handy and easy to carry as it all packaged as one product.
In addition, it will be appreciated that the various integrated container covers and methods of using the integrated container cover disclosed herein may be embodied using means for achieving cost effective material, biodegradable, light weight cheap material and useful apparatus. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated container cover, comprising:

a container cover to secure the content of a container;

a stretched out cup to provide the filling structure between the container cover and an extended cup once the integrated container cover is in an open position; and

the extended cup to expand when dissociated from the container cover to hold the content of the container for consumption.

2. The integrated container cover of claim 1, further comprising:

the stretched out cup is made up of a synthetic material folded in a particular design and thickness to provide flexibility, wherein the particular design is at least one of a sheet, accordion folding and pleat.

3. The integrated container cover of claim 2, wherein the synthetic material is at least one of high density polyethylene, low density poly ethylene and polypropylene.

4. The integrated container cover of claim 2, wherein the synthetic material is at least 0.1 to 0.4 mm thick.

5. The integrated container cover of claim 1, further comprising:

the extended cup to house the stretched out cup in a folded position.

6. The integrated container cover of claim 1, wherein the extended cup is larger in size than the container cover.

7. A method of using an integrated container cover, comprising:

unlocking a integrated container cover from the container;

separating a container cover and an extended cup from the integrated container cover;

expanding a stretched out cup made of a synthetic material having a specific width to form an elongated structure between the container cover and the extended cup to form the integrated container cover;

inverting the integrated container cover to pour the content of the container;

consuming the content of the integrated container cover;

reverting the integrated container cover to combine the stretched out cup and the container cover to form the integrated container cover; and

closing the container using the integrated container cover.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

housing the stretched out cup in the extended cup when the integrated container is closed.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the synthetic material is high density polyethylene, low density poly ethylene and polypropylene.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the specific width is between 0.1 to 0.4 mm.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

reusing the integrated container cover to consume the contents of the container.

12. An integrated container cover, comprising:

a stretched out cup to provide the filling structure between a container cover and an extended cup once the integrated container cover is in an open position; wherein the stretched out cup is made up at least one of biodegradable material, synthetic material and reusable material.

13. The integrated container cover as claim 12, wherein the synthetic material is at least one of high density polyethylene, low density poly ethylene and polypropylene.

14. The integrated container cover as claim 12, wherein the extended cup and container cover is similar in size.

15. The integrated container cover as claim 12, wherein the extended cup is larger than the container cover in size.

16. The integrated container cover as claim 12, wherein stretched out cup is of specific thickness, wherein the thickness is between 0.1-0.4 mm.

17. The integrated container cover as claim 12, wherein the extended cup and the container cover are made up of at least one of high density polyethylene, low density poly ethylene and polypropylene.

18. The integrated container cover as claim 12, wherein the thickness of the extended cup and container cover is between 4 mm to 9 mm.

19. The integrated container cover as in claim 12, further comprising:

the extended cup to house the stretched out cup in a folded position.

20. The integrated container cover as in claim 12, wherein the stretched out cup is situated in between the container cover and the extended cup.