US3486679A - Disposable beverage container with built-in sipping tube - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3o, 1969 L. L. PFAHLER DISPOSABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH BUILT-IN SIPPING TUBE Filed July 3, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet l ill-- A:

INVENTOR LLOYD L. PFAHLER BY MAIQNEY. Ml? & RAM

L YM,

ATTORNEYS Dec. 30,v 1969 L. l.. PFAHLER 3,486,579

DISPOSABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH BUILT-IN SIPPING TUBE Filed July 5, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheer. 2

En; E INVENTOR, E LLOYD L.. PFAHLER ATTORNEYS L. L. PFAHLER 3,486,679

1N SIPPING TUBE I Dec. 30, 1969 TH BUILT- DISPOSABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER WI Filed July 5, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

- LLOYD L.PFAHLER BY MAHoNEY. MILLER a RAM BY l M, X

ATT RNEYS U.S. Cl.

- v 3,486,679 DISPOSABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH BUILT-IN SIPPING TUBE Lloyd L. Pfahler, Columbus, Ohio, assignor of one-half to Nicholas M. Savko, Columbus, Ohio Filed July 3, 1968, Ser. No. 742,230 Int. Cl. B65d '5/00, 23/00; A47g 21/18 229-7 9 i Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A beverage container made of inexpensive flexible material so that it can be discarded after being emptied. The material is initially scored and folded to provide a container of flat collapsed formation in which condition it is supplied for filling and can be expanded to receiver the beverage. A built-in'sipping tube is provided ina protected position within thel container when it is collapsed and also when it is expanded or set up. This tube has a portion which' is moved into a position accessible from the exterior of the container whenever the container is unsealed and opened for sipping ther-beverage contained therein.

Disposable containersof the beverage-servingtype have been provided in the past with built-in sipping tubes or straws. However, these 4containers have not been of a type which can be supplied in a at or collapsed condition which greatly reduces the cost of, shipping and storage. Since the containers in the prior art were not supplied in a ilat or collapsed condition, there was no need for a sipping tube or straw so formed and arranged in the collapsed container that it would be protected properly and so designed and constructed that when the container was expanded the straw would not be damaged and would still be protected both hygienically and physically until used.

The present invention provides a built-in straw so arranged that with the container collapsed or expanded, it is adequately protected. 'A lso, the straw is' so arranged that when the container is opened for serving the beverage, a portion of the straw 'automatically lmoves out of'the container into an exposedI sipping position.

. In the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments ofv myv invention are shown and in these drawings:

Y'FIGURE 1`is a perspective view of one form'of container embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional viewtaken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, -showing the sipping straw in position within the container. Y

FIGURE 3 is a similar sectional view but fragmentary FIGURE 12 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 12-12 o-f FIGURE 11.

The containers or cartons of this invention may be in the form of a polyhedron with a base on which the containermay rest and a top at which the sipping tube can be exposed. The containers of this invention are preferably made of inexpensive exible sheet material, such as paperboard, plastic, etc., which is either inherently moisture-proof or is treated to render it so. The container will be used in serving various beverages, such as milk, fruit juice, etc., and after it is emptied, can be discarded due to its inexpensive nature.

In the example, shown in FIGURES 1-8, the container is of triangular horizontal cross section, but may be of other polygonal cross sections, having the three upstanding sides 21, 22 and 23 hinged together along the vertically disposed scored hinge lines 24, 25 and 26 at the three vertical corners of the set-up carton or container. The top and bottom ends 27 and 28 of the box comprise triangular members which close the opposed ends of the triangular tube provided by the sides 21, 22 and 23. The top end 27 comprises a llat triangular end wall portion 29 which has the depending ilanges 30 on its three edges hinged thereto at scored hinge lines 34 which overlap the respective side walls 21, 22 and 23 and may be glued thereto. Similarly, the botto-m end 28 comprises a flat 1. triangular end wall portion 31 which has the upstanding flanges 32 on its three edges, hinged thereto at the lines 34, which overlap the respective side walls 21, 22 and 23 and may be glued thereto. The upper and lower edges of the respective vertical side walls 21, 22, and 23 may have inwardly extending horizontal flanges 33 which are glued tothe inner horizontal surfaces of the respective ends 27 andi28.

As previously indicated, the container has a built-in sipping straw which is made of paper or plastic, and includes a main vertical section 35 which extends from the bottom of the container to its top end along the one corner 25, which is rounded (FIGURE 8) to receive it, and this section is tacked or glued in the corner position. The lower end of this section is bias cut to produce the inlet 36 and the upper end is bent at a exible joint 37 to provide a section 38 which normally extends toward the'center of the container. This section 38 is slidably disposed within a guide sleeve 3 9, which is similarly normally horizontally disposed, and is carried on the ,y underside of ,a closure tab 40. This closure tab is hinged and showing the straw with a portion extending upwardly fromvthe container'but still enclosed within a guide por-` tion. f

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational View taken from the-position' shown at-4--4 in FIGURE 3 but'beingy partly 'FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional'vew taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to'FIGURE 3 but showing the extending portion of the straw exposed cfor sipping.' FIGURE `7 is a perspective'view of the container in" folded collapsed substantially flat condition -prior to filling. FIGURE 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 7'.

FIGURE19 is a perspective view'showing another form of my container.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a plan view, partly broken away, of thej collapsed container priorto illing.

at its outer end at 41 to the top end 27 of the container atthe vertical corner 25 and is normally in at position on the end of the container where it is glued over an opening or slot 42, the tabcarrying a strip 43 on its lower end that lills this opening and towhich the horizontal guide sleeve 39.isattached (FIGURE 5). The tab 40 may also be provided with a depending guide lug 44 at the end of sleeve 39 which extends into the slot 42. Whenthe closure tab 40 is swung upwardly from the normal position shown in FIGURE2, the straw section gagement by the lips of the person who wishes to sip from the container.

In order to permit supplying the containers in collapsed or substantially at form so that they occupy a minimum of space in shipping and storage, certain container walls are prescored for folding. In the example shown in-FIGURES 1 to 8, the side wall 21 is scored for inward folding and the ends 27 and 28 for outward folding. Thus, the wall 21 is provided with a scored fold line 45, midway of the corners 24 and 26, parallel thereto and extending the full height of the container. The triangular wall 29 of the end 27 is provided with a scored fold line 46 aligning with the line 45 and extending to the end of the slot 42. Similarly, the triangular wall 31 of the end 28 is provided with a scored fold line 47 which extends from the line 45 to the opposite corner 25. In addition, the wall 29 is provided with the angular fold lines 48 and 49 which meet at the line 46 inwardly of the side 21 and which angle outwardly to the respective corners 24 and 26. Similarly, the wall 31 is provided with the pair of fold lines 50 and 51 which meet at the line 47 and extend to the respective corners 24 and 26.

In the collapsed substantially llat condition, the container will appear as in FIGURE 7. The wall 21 will be folded inwardly along the fold line 45 and and its folds will be within the opposed flat walls 22 and 23. The end 27 will be folded outwardly along the lines 48 and 49, the hinge lines 34 and the line 46. It will be apparent that there will be triangular sections extending outwardly from the walls 22 and 23, the full width thereof, and outwardly extending triangular sections folded together along line 46 and extending outwardly from each of the half sections of the inwardly folded wall 21. The other end wall 28 will fold outwardly in substantially an identical manner along the lines 50 and 51, hinge lines 34, and the line 47, but could be folded inwardly.

The fold lines are produced in the container blank prior to gluing and folding it together and the container is supplied in the collapsed condition shown in FIGURE 7. At this time, the main part 35 of the tube or straw will be in the curved corner 25 between the walls 22 and 23 and be protected thereby. The extension 38 of the straw, along with guide sleeve 39, will be between the triangular extensions of the walls 22 and 23 and be protected thereby.

To set up the container, it is merely necessary to apply inward pressure to the opposed ends to flatten out these ends and simultaneously fold the wall 21 outwardly along the line 45, thus automatically bringing the Walls 22 and 23 into proper positions. To ill the container, a special opening may -be provided which is sealed after lilling or the filling may be at one of the flanges 30 or 32 which may remain unsealed until after filling or at any other mechanically convenient location.

The container structure illustrated in FIGURES 9 to 12 is similar to that described but is of cubical form instead of triangular cross section. It is provided with the four side walls 51, 52, 53, and 54 and the top and bottom walls 55 and 56. The top wall 55 carries a closure tab 60 near one side edge and hinged thereto at 31, and normally being glued over a dispensing slot in the top 55. The tab 60 carries a strip 62 which lls the slot normally and which carries the guide sleeve 63 on its lower surface as well as a depending guide lug 64 adjacent its free end. The sleeve 63 slidably carries the section 65 of the straw which is connected by the exible joint 66 to the main section of the straw. This main section normally extends downwardly along the adjacent vertical wall 54 laterally to the left at an angle (FIG- URE to a point adjacent the bottom of the container where it is provided with the bias cut inlet opening 68. It is tacked or glued to the wall 54 in this angular position.

Normally, after filling and sealing the container will appear as in FIGURE 9. To drink the contents, the tab 60 is pulled upwardly which pulls the guide sleeve 63 and the section 65 of the straw therewith and, as indicated in FIGURE 10, the section 65 of the straw may then be pulled from the guide sleeve and engaged with the lips. Thus, the straw will be physically and hygienically protected until it is used.

This container also is supplied in the collapsed sub-A stantially flat condition as it appears in FIGURES 11 and 12. So that it can be supplied in this condition, all the walls, 51, 52, 53 and 54, which will be the vertical side walls when the container is expanded, will be prescored for inward folding when the container blank is formed. The opposed walls 53 and 54 will have the respective scored fold lines 71 and 72 at different levels intermediate the height of the respective walls. Each of the other two opposed vertical side walls 51 and 52 is provided with a pair of upper angular scored fold lines 73 and 74 and a pair of lower angular scored fold lines 75 and 76. The upper fold lines 73 and 74 converge inwardly and downwardly from the upper corners of the container or box to their junction at the upper end of a vertical scored fold line 77. The ower fold lines 75 and 76 converge inwardly and upwardly from the lower corners of the container to their junction at the lower end of the line 77. The line 77 is midway of and parallel to the adjacent vertical corners and extends vertically only a relatively short distance being located midway between the adjacent top and bottom corners of the box. A horizontal straight scored fold line 78 extends from the end of the fold line 71 to the upper end of the line 77 and a similar fold line 79 extends from the end of the fold line 72 to the lower end of the line 77.

When the container or box is collapsed substantially llat as in FIGURES 11 and 12, the walls 53 and 54 are folded inwardly along the respective fold lines 71 and 72. It will be noted that the fold line 71 is higher than the fold line 72 to permit the necessary overlapping of the inwardly folded converging portions of the walls 53 and 54, as indicated in FIGURE l2. Each end will simultaneously fold inwardly about the lines 73-74, 75-76 and the line 77. In this condition, the upper section 65 of the straw will be in the folded rounded corner between the top wall 55 and the side Wall 54 and the main section 67 of the straw will be protected between the upper wall 55 and-the lower wall 56, extending angularly midway between the end fold lines 77 which will be spaced apart. The outlet end 68 will be in the rounded corner between the walls 53 and 54. Thus, the straw will be protected physically and hygienically with the box in collapsed condition. As soon as the box is expanded or set up, the straw section 67 will swing into vertical position along the adjacent wall 54.

It will be apparent from the above description that my invention provides a container of suitable polyhedron form which can be supplied in substantially flat form thereby simplifying greatly the problem of shipping and storing and, therefore, making it cheaper to supply to'the ultimate user. The container is formed with prescored fold lines which permit the initial folding into flat condition and the subsequent setting up or expansion of it into condition to be filled by the liquid to be served therefrom. The container has the built-in sipping straw which is physically and hygienically protected, both when the container is collapsed and when it is expanded, until the time of use when it will be moved automatically to sipping position by opening of the container.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A disposable beverage serving container of the type described comprising a hollow body portion of polygonal cross section having a bottom wall on which the container may rest and upstanding walls extending to a top where a dispensing opening is provided, a built-insipping straw disposed within said body and extending from the bottom to the top thereof, said straw having a main section extending from a point adjacent the bottom to the top of the body which is attached to an adjacent upstanding wall and having a sipping section adjacent the top connected to the main section for movement relative thereto, said main section having an inlet adjacent the bottom and said movable section having an outlet, and

a closure member for said dispensing opening at the top movable relative to said dispensing opening to permit projection of the sipping section of the straw therethrough, said closure member being connected to said sipping section which is located inwardly thereof so that when it is moved to open said dispensing opening said sipping straw section is projected outwardly through said opening to a sipping position, at least certain walls of the container being prescored along selected fold lines so that the body is collapsed before lling with the built-in straw between the walls and protected thereby but being expansible to upright condition with the main section of the straw movable with the upstanding wall to which it is attached to its position extending from the bottom to the top of the body and with the closure member in closed position at the top thereof and having the sipping section of the straw connected thereto and located inwardly thereof.

2. A container according to claim 1 in which said closure member is a sealed, easy-opening hinged closure tab which extends over the dispensing opening, said tab having a guide sleeve on its inner surface, said sipping straw section fitting in said sleeve for axial sliding movement relative thereto when the tab is hinged outwardly to expose said opening and extend the sipping section outwardly therethrough.

3. A container according to claim 2 in which said upstanding walls are three in number and are hinged together at vertical corners, said bottom being formed by a flat wall hinged to said three upright walls and said top being formed by a at wall hinged to said three upiight walls, said dispensing opening being located in the top wall with the closure tab mounted on said wall and covering the opening one of said upright walls and the top and bottom walls being provided with the prescored folding lines, said main straw section being in the corner between the two remaining upright walls and connected to at least one of them and the sipping section connected thereto extending beneath said tab.

4. A container according to claim 3 in which the prescored line in the one upright wall extends centrally from the top to the bottom walls for inward folding of the upright wall, said bottom and top walls being provided with central end prescored lines extending from the respective ends of said upright wall line to the opposed corner in which said main straw section is located and said dispensing opening being in the form of a slot extending inwardly along the associated central end line, said central end lines forming on opposite sides thereof two triangular sections extending the full width of the respective upright walls to which they are hinged, said triangular sections being provided with prescored fold lines extending from the respective remaining two corners to the respective central end lines.

5. A disposable beverage serving container of the type described comprising a hollow body portion of polygonal cross section having a bottom wall on which the container may rest and upstanding walls extending to a top where a dispensing opening is provided, a built-in sipping straw disposed within said body and extending from the bottom to the top thereof, said straw having a main section extending from a point adjacent the bottom to the top of the body and having a sipping section adjacent the top connected to the main section for movement relative thereto, said main section having an inlet adjacent the bottom and said movable section having an outlet, and a closure member for said dispensing opening at the top movable relative to said dispensing opening to permit projection of the sipping section of the straw therethrough, said closure member being connected to said sipping section so that when it is lmoved to open said dispensing opening said sipping straw section is projected outwardly through said opening to a sipping position, at least certain walls of the container being prescored along selected fold lines so that the body is collapsed before lling with the built-in straw between the walls and protected thereby but being expansible to upright condition with the main section of the straw extending from the bottom of the top of the body and with the closure member in closed position at the top thereof and having the sipping section of the straw connected thereto, said closure member being a sealed, easy-opening, hinged closure tab which extends over the dispensing opening, said tab having a guide sleeve on its inner surface, said sipping straw section fitting in said sleeve for axial sliding movement relative thereto when the tab is hinged outwardly to expose said opening and extend the sipping section through, said upright walls being four in number hinged together at vertical corners, the top and bottom comprising walls hinged to the four upright walls at their respective ends, all of said upright walls being prescored for inward folding.

6. A container according to claim 5 in which the four upright walls comprise two opposed end walls and two opposed side walls, each of the side walls being provided with a horizontal score line extending from one end wall to theother intermediate the height of the side wall, the horizontal score lines in the respective side walls being at different levels, each of the end walls being prescored with downwardly and upwardly extending triangular score line arrangements with a vertical score line joining their spaced vertices, and a score line extending inwardly from the associated end of each horizontal score line to the vertex of the associated triangular score line.

7. A container according to claim 6 in which the dispensing opening is in the top wall along one of the side upright walls and the tab extends thereover and is mounted on the top wall, said main straw section extending downwardly along said upright side wall.

8. A container according to claim 7 in which said main straw section is secured to said upright wall above its horizontal score line.

9. A collapsed container adapted to be expanded into hollow form for receiving a beverage for serving comprising a body having a number of walls which are folded together into a collapsed condition and including a bottom wall, a side wall and a top wall, a built-in sipping straw disposed within the folded walls for protection, said built-in straw comprising a main section secured to the side wall for expanding movement therewith and extending to a point adjacent the bottom wall where it is provided with an inlet and a sipping section joined to the main section by a exible joint, said sipping section being adjacent said top wall and a dispensing opening provided in said top wall a closure tab normally covering said opening but movable to a position to expose said opening, said sipping section being connected to said closure tab for movement into sipping position through said opening when the closure tab is moved to uncover said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,244 9/ 1948 Lynch 229-7 2,547,362 4/1951 Berry 229-7 2,689,076 9/ 1954 Jenkins 229--7 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 215-1

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