"Flexible cup and corresponding support"

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Field of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a cup that is particularly simple and inexpensive, conveniently of a disposable type, which can be used to advantage in the sector of public establishments for the administration of beverages and performs at the same time an effective advertising and promotional function.

Summary of the invention

The cup according to the invention is basically characterized in that it comprises an envelope made of flexible plastic material sealed along three sides and open at one end, having a normally flattened configuration and deformable to define a mouth at the aforesaid open end. The envelope has, on sides opposite to said open end, two holes to enable the cup to be suspended in a removable way on a support that can be used for filling it with a beverage.

The sides of the envelope preferably have a tapered shape starting from the aforesaid open end, so as to facilitate handling of the cup after it has been filled. Also forming a subject of the invention is a support for flexible cups of the type defined above, characterized in that it consists of a base bearing at the top a pair of arms set in cantilever fashion, within which are engageable in a slidable way the aforesaid two holes of the envelope in a suspended condition of the cup, together with a plurality of identical cups in the aforesaid flattened configuration .

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described in detail with

reference to the annexed plate of drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a flexible cup according to the invention represented in the flattened configuration;

- Figure 2 is a front elevation of the cup Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing the cup in its deformed configuration of use; and

- Figures 4 and 5 are two perspective and schematic views illustrating a support for a plurality of cups according to Figures 1 to 3, exemplifying the mode of use thereof.

Detailed description of the invention With initial reference to Figures 1 to 3, number 1 designates a flexible cup according to the invention constituted by an envelope made of plastic material for foodstuffs, preferably but not necessarily transparent, sealed for example by means of heat sealing along its sides 2 and having a closed bottom 3, folded within the cup 1 as far as the dashed line 4.

The top side of the cup 1, designated by 5, is open, and in the proximity of its opposite ends the sides 2 are formed with respective through holes 3, for example having a circular shape.

As may be seen more clearly in Figure 2, the sides 2 of the cup 1 have a tapered shape starting from the open side 5 so that the corresponding outer edges 7 have a configuration slightly inclined towards the bottom 3 so as to facilitate in use handling of the cup 1.

Figures 1 and 2 represent the normal configuration of the cup 1, in which it is generally flattened,

whilst Figure 3 represents the cup 1 in the condition of use, with its bottom 3 splayed out and the opening 5 defining a mouth. To pass from the flattened configuration of Figures 1 and 2 to the configuration of use of Figure 3, it is sufficient to deform the cup slightly so as to dilate the opening 5, for example as represented in Figure 4, and then introduce a beverage therein.

The holes 6 of the cup 1 are used to enable it to be placed, in the suspended condition, along with a plurality of similar cups 1, on a support designated as a whole by 8 in Figures 4 and 5. Said support 8 is conveniently constituted by a bar bent so as to define a horizontal resting base 9, two vertical uprights 10, and two horizontal arms 11 projecting in cantilever fashion on top of the base 9. The arms 11, sized for enabling slidable insertion within the holes 6 of the cups 1, define both a magazine from which the outermost cup 1 is taken each time, said cup 1 being made to slide forwards towards the user in the way represented in _. Figure 4, and an aid for a easier and more convenient filling of the cup itself. As already explained previously, for said filling it is sufficient to deform the cup 1 slightly so as to dilate the opening 5 slightly, and then pour a beverage therein. In this way, the deformation of the cup 1 is obtained from the flattened configuration to the configuration of use, following upon which the cup 1 can then be extracted completely from the arms 11 of the support 8, in the way represented in Figure 5, to enable the user to consume the contents thereof.

The two vertical uprights 10 of the support 9 can be conveniently used for positioning and anchorage of a body 12, for example constituted by a boxlike element made of cardboard or plastic material, possibly bearing

externally advertising or promotional wordings.

Also the cups 1 can bear, on the respective faces, advertising information.

Of course, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what is described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the ensuing claims.