US2823004A - Cup holder - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, l195:5 B, R, MELLOH 2,823,004

CUP HOLDER Filed June 7. 1952 United States Patent-O CUP HOLDER Bernard R. Melloh, Middletown, Ohio Application June 7, 1952, Serial No. 292,224 s claims. (c1. 24S-21s) This invention relates to an attachable holder for a paper cup and in particular to a holder which may be easily attached to a paper cup and placed upon a window or any other suitable place in an automobile or the like, although not necessarily so limited.

Whenever food is ordered at a drive-in while in an automobile, the articles of food are generally placed on a tray for attachment to the side of the window of the automobile. These food yarticles are generally distributed to the occupants of the car. However, when several items or articles are ordered by a person, he generally nds it very difficult to manipulate all of them at one time. One of the most diicult articles to handle is a paper cup containing a liquid drink or the like. It is, therefore, anV object of this invention to provide a holder for paper cups which can be easily attached thereto and hung over a vertical surface such as a window or ash tray.

It is a further object of this invention to providefa holder which is capable of retaining the cups containing liquid without the possibility of the cups being torn loose from the holder merely because of the weight of Vthe liquid therein.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a holder for paper cups which is easily adaptable to vary- -ing thicknesses, sizes and types of automobile window panes or other vertical surfaces.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a paper cup attachment which is capable of maintaining the paper cup in a substantially vertical position, which position is parallel to the vertical wall upon which the attachment and paper cup are hung.

Another further object of this invention is to provide a paper cup holder having a flexible lip cooperating with a tongue to permit the rim on a paper cup to be easily slipped between the lip and the tongue but being capable of retaining the cup therein. The holder has one surface portion extending from said tongue adapted to engage the paper cup and to be flush therewith over its entire length. A second surface portion in opposition to the said one surface is adapted to engage the vertical surface of a window pane or vertical Wall upon which it is hung. An arm extends outwardly from the second surface but at an angle thereto, so as to hang over the top of the window or vertical wall. The arm terminates in a substantially vertical portion substantially parallel to the one surface engaging the paper cup, so as to prevent the holder from being accidentally removed by a horizontal jar or the like.

Another object of this invention is to produce an inexpensive plastic cup holder that is eiiicient and dependable.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof 'and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the holder.

Figure 2 shows the paper cup being held in position by the holder which is hung over a window in an automobile.

Figure 3 shows an end view of the holder.

Figures 4 and 5 show the device and paper cup hung on varying thicknesses of Window panes or the like.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 represents a paper cup provided with a rounded bead 12 thereon and reference numeral 13 represents a portion of a side window in an automobile. The cup may also be made from plastic, light metal or like materials. The bead 12 engages with a hook-like portion 14 on a holder 16 generally made of plastic. The hook-like portion 14 comprises a ilexible lip 18 overhanging outwardly of a tongue 20. The lip and tongue terminate in an opening 15. The substantially wedge shaped main body portion 22 of the holder 16 is provided with a surface 24 which extends from the tongue 20 at an inverse angle to the paper cup, so that the paper cup and surface are in engagement with each other to hold the cup lirm. The main body portion 22 is further provided with another surface 2S which is in opposition to the surface 2.4, the other surface 25 engaging the Window or the like.

The holder 16 is further provided at its uppermost portion with a hook-like arm 26. This arm forms an acute angle with the vertical surface 25 of the holder. The arm 26 terminates in a retaining portion 28, which portion is substantially parallel to the surface 25. The main body portion 22 is recessed, as best shown in Figure l, to provide a place for advertising a name or the like. Furthermore, this recessed portion reduces the weight of the holder and thereby reduces the cost thereof.

In using the holder, the paper cup is forced under the flexible lip 1S, so that the bead 12 will fit into the opening 15. The lip 18 being flexible tends to hold the bead in the opening 15. Further, the tongue 20 engages the underside of the bead 12, thereby preventing the cup from being removed'from the holder under normal usage. The cup may only be removed from the holder by exerting a relatively large force sufficient to overcome the wedging action of the tongue 20 on the bead 12 and to separate the lip and tongue.

The surface 24, having substantially the same angle as the side of the cup but in an inverse direction, engages the side of the cup 10 along its full length. The liquid is then placed in the cup and it is ready to be delivered to the occupant of the car. The occupant may then place the retaining portion 28 over the top of the window, so that the hook-like portion 26 engages the top of the window. The opposing surface 25 will always tend to engage the window or other similar vertical support along its entire side. This Will enable the cup to be maintained in a vertical position regardless of the thickness of the support. Also the hook-like arm 26 may be placed on different size windows, vertical supports, or the like. The portion 28 aids the cup and holder from being jarred loose from its vertical support. The angle of inclination of the portion 26 is such that the holder glides into contact with the side of the window.

`By this invention the inventor has provided an inexpensive holder which may be easily manufactured from plastic material and may be easily attached to and removed from a paper cup. Also the base of the holder is provided with room for advertising purposes. This invention further provides a simple device with sufficiently strong retaining means to carry the paper cup and the liquid contained therein and it may be easily hung over a vertical window or the like.

This cup holder maybe made material, such as Tenite, istics. The holder may be made by injection-molding by use of multi-cavity mold. The amount of material in from suitable plastic having the proper character' 3, each holder -is quite small; hence the cost of the material is nominal.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that withinv the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed anddeiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

`1. An attachable cup holder for a cup having a beaded edge portion, comprising a main body portion having a flexible lip, a tongue positioned inwardly of said lip and terminating therewith to form an opening for receiving the beaded edge portion of the cup, said main body portion having a window engaging surface on the side opposite said tongue, said body portion having a cup engaging surface extending from said tongue at an acute angle with said window engaging surface, and a hooklike arm extending downwardly from the top of the main body portion and at an a-cute angle to said window engaging surface, said arm being adapted to seat on a Window and maintain the cup in a substantially vertical position.

2. An attachable holder for paper cups to be hung in contact with a vertical surface of a window or the like, said holder comprising means for retaining a cup including a lip portion projecting into said cup, and means for supporting said cup in a position such that the axis of said cup extends vertically, said last mentioned means including a substantially wedge shaped main body portion having a rst vertically extending surface adapted tok engage the surface of a window, said main body portion diverging outwardly so as to have a second surface in opposition to said first surface adapted to engage the side of said cup, said main body portion having a hook-like arm diverging therefrom forming an acute angle vwith the lirst surface of the main body portion adapted to overhang the upper edge of said window whereby the upper edge of said window will seek the uppermost position within the acute angle until said first surface engages the vertical surface of said window.

3. An attachable holder for paper cups to be hung in Contact with a vertical surface of a window or the like, said holder comprising means for retaining a cup, means engaging said cup for aligning the axis lthereof vertically, said last mentioned means comprising a substantially wedge shaped main body portion having a first surface adapted to engage the vertical surface of a window and having a second surface diverging outwardly relative to said rst surface adapted to engage the side of said cup, and an outwardly and downwardly directed hook-like arm integral with the main body portion, said hook-like arm having a third surfaceV forming an acute angle with the first surface ofV said main body portion adapted to overhang the upper edge of said window whereby the upper edge of said window will seek the apex of the acute angle so that said iirst surface engages the vertical surface of the window, said hook-like arm terminating in a downwardly directed portion having a fourth surface extending substantially parallel to said iirst surface adapted to pre.- vent said holder from being jarred out of position on the window.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 162,959 Janes et al. Apr. 17, 1951 111,777 Randall Feb. 14, 1871 302,323 Cole July 22, 1884 350,807 Clark Oct. 12, 1886 454,655 Locke et al. June 23, 1891 1,178,965 Stroecker Apr. 1l, 1916 1,203,942 Walker Nov. 7, 1916 `1,343,855 Tyler Iune 15, 1920 1,365,934 Mitchell Jan. 18, 1921 1,744,196 Ames Jan..21, 1930 2,029,429 Koons Feb. 4, 1936 2,133,915 Engert Oct. 18, 1938 2,246,606 Stender June 24, 1941 2,307,241 Sayre Jan. 5, 1943 2,578,237 Geistweit De'c. 11, 1951 2,606,733 Krajewski Aug'. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 102,039 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1917

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