Description

PORTABLE FOLDING CUP

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a folding cup which is foldable so as to be portable, and more particularly to a portable folding cup by which it is possible to maximize space use efficiency by allowing the size of the cup to be reduced when the cup is carried or stored. That is, the invention relates to a technique of folding a cup which has a predetermined shape to contain things therein. The portable folding cup is in an expanding state when it is used but in a folded state when it is carried, so the cup occupies only a small space when it is carried or stored. Background Art

[2] Generally it is inconvenient to carry a cup because the cup has a large volume. For such a reason, people have used disposable cups when it is needed to use cups outdoors rather than carrying cups.

[3] In the case of using portable paper cups or vinyl cups, people generally carry or store the paper or vinyl cups in a stacked state in which a plurality of cups are stacked.

[4] In the case in which the cups are stored in the stacked state, the forms of the cups are maintained, but there is a problem in that the stack of the cups has a large volume due to its height. Accordingly, when trying to carry the plurality of cups, there is a problem in that deformation of the cups may occur because the stack of cups is likely to receive shocks or be subject to pressure while being carried. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[5] The invention is conceived in view of the above-mentioned problems and an object of the invention is to provide a portable folding cup which is foldable so as to be portable, which can be reused many times, hardly leaks after being used many times, is convenient to use and carry, and is foldable in a simple way. Technical Solution

[6] In order to accomplish the object of the invention,

[7] there is provided a portable folding cup including a cup main body in the form of a truncated pyramid, which has a plurality of trapezoid faces and opens at an upper end and a lower end thereof, and a bottom member attached to a portion of an inside surface of the cup main body and folded up or down so as to form the bottom of a cup.

[8] It is preferable that edges which are borders between adjacent faces be configured in a manner of being folded smoothly.

[9] It is preferable that the bottom member include a bottom face which has the same

shape as the lower end of the cup main body, has an area smaller than that of the upper end of the cup main body and larger than that of the lower end of the cup main body, and is attached to a portion of the inside surface of the cup main body so it is foldable up or down, and an elastic member which connects the bottom face to a portion of the lower end of the main body.

[10] It is preferable that the elastic member include a first elastic member which connects an edge portion of the bottom face, which is at an opposite side of an attached side at which the bottom face is attached to the cup main body, to an edge portion of the lower end of the cup main body at the attached side and a second elastic member which connects an edge portion of the bottom member, which is at the attached side, to an edge portion of the lower end of the cup main body which is at the opposite side, and the elastic member be in a form of an elastic film attached to a portion of the lower end of the cup main body at one edge thereof to a center portion of the bottom face at a center portion thereof.

[11] It is preferable that a portion of the bottom face, which is not attached to the inside surface of the main body, be sealed with a material, such as rubber.

[12] It is preferable that the portable folding cup further include a sealing member which surrounds the lower end of the main body.

[13] According to the invention described above, the cup becomes flat when the cup is folded. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the space occupied by the cups in comparison with conventional cups. That is, when storing a plurality of cups, it is possible to store a large number of cups in a small space and it is convenient to carry the cups in a bag.

[14] When the cup is expanded, since the bottom member is automatically expanded down by the elastic member connected to the bottom member, it is easy to use the cups. Further, the sealing member made of waterproof material such as rubber is provided at the lower end portion of the cup, and it is possible to prevent liquid in the cup from leaking owing to a double waterproof structure. Brief Description of the Drawings

[15] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a folded state of a portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[16] Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a motion of folding a bottom member of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[17] Fig. 3 is a bottom view illustrating a combining structure of a bottom member of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[18] Fig. 4 is an elastic member of a bottom member of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[19] Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sealing member is additionally provided to the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[20] Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a process of folding the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[21] Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a combined structure of an elastic member in the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[22] Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating a combined structure of an elastic member in the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

[23] Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a combined structure of an elastic member in the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention; and

[24] Fig. 10 is a developed view illustrating the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention.

[25] <Brief Description of Key Elements in Drawings>

[26] 10: Cup main body 20: Bottom member

[27] 21: Bottom face 22: First elastic member

[28] 23: Second elastic member

[29] 24: Elastic member receiving hole

[30] 25: Sealing rubber 26: Elastic file

[31] 30: Sealing member

Mode for the Invention

[32] Hereinafter, a preferred mode of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[33] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a folded sate of a portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a motion of folding a bottom member of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a bottom view illustrating a combining structure of a bottom member of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 4 is an elastic member of a bottom member of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sealing member is additionally provided to the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a process of folding the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a combined structure of an elastic

member in the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating a combined structure of an elastic member in the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a combined structure of an elastic member in the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 10 is a developed view illustrating the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention.

[34] As shown in the drawings, the portable folding cup consists of a cup main body 10 which has a truncated pyramid, is empty and has open upper and lower ends, and a bottom member 20 attached to a portion of an inside surface of the cup main body and folded up or down so as to form a bottom of a cup.

[35] The edges, i.e. borders at which adjacent faces of the cup main body 10 meet, are configured to be folded smoothly.

[36] The bottom member 20 has a rectangular shape which is the same as a shape of the lower end of the cup main body 10, and is smaller than an area of the upper end of the cup main body and larger than an area of the lower end of the cup main body. The bottom member 20 includes a bottom face 21 attached to some portion of the inside surface of the cup main body and is foldable upward or downward and elastic members 22 and 23, each of which connects one edge of the lower end of the cup main body to the bottom face.

[37] The portable folding cup may further consist of a sealing member 30 structure to surround the lower end of the cup main body.

[38] As shown in Fig. 10, some portions of the bottom face 21 other than a portion attached to the inside surface of the cup main body are provided with sealing rubber 25. Accordingly, the bottom face 21 which is expanded downward by the elastic members 22 and 23 when the cup is expanded comes to meet the inside surface of the cup main body 10 and thus liquid contained in the cup does not leak.

[39] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the elastic members consist of a first elastic member 22 which connects a first edge of the bottom face 21, which is the opposite side edge of a second edge attached to the cup main body, to an edge of the lower end of the cup main body and a second elastic member 23 which connects in reverse, i.e. which connects the first edge of the bottom face, which is attached to the cup main body, to the opposite side edge of the lower end of the cup main body, and the elastic members are arranged to form a letter X shape.

[40] Since the elastic members connect the bottom face to the cup main body while they stretch in the form of the letter X shape, it is possible to minimize interference between the elastic members when the cup is folded and thus the cup can be smoothly folded.

[41] Thanks to such a connection method, when the bottom face 21 is expanded toward

the lower end of the cup main body, the elastic members 22 and 23 have the minimum length. Such connection of the elastic members allows the cup to be folded when the bottom face 21 is folded up towards the upper end of the cup main body in order to fold the cup, and makes the bottom face be pulled down toward the lower end of the cup main body by elastic force of the elastic members 22 and 23. That is, such a connection makes the bottom face be automatically expanded by the elastic force so as to form the bottom of the cup.

[42] The cup main body and the elastic members are connected in the following manner.

One edge of the bottom face 21, which is at an attached side at which the bottom face is attached to the cup main body, is connected to one edge of the lower end of the cup main body, the edge being at the opposite side (referred to as non-attached side) of the attached side by the first elastic member 22.

[43] The non-attached side edge of the bottom face 21 is connected to the attached side edge of the lower end of the cup main body 10 by the second elastic member 23.

[44] The connection of the elastic members will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in Fig. 3, when the cup is viewed from below, the elastic members seem like a number "11." As shown in Fig. 2, when the cup is viewed sideways, the elastic members seem like a letter "X."

[45] The elastic members may be made of elastic material, such as rubber and a spring.

The connection structure of the elastic members may be modified according to the kind of elastic members used.

[46] In addition, the entire lower end of the cup main body may be sealed by wrapping the lower end portion of the cup main body with sealing rubber made of rubber or latex. With this structure, it is possible to prevent the liquid in the cup from leaking.

[47] Alternatively, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the elastic members may be embodied in the form of an elastic film 26 made of elastic rubber or latex. The elastic film is attached to the lower end of the cup main body in a manner of surrounding the lower end of the cup main body. In another way, the elastic film may be attached to the cup main body in a manner such that one end portion of the elastic film is attached to the inside surface near the lower end of the cup main body and a center portion of the elastic film 26 is attached to a center portion of the bottom face 21. With this structure, the elastic film 26 can function as a sealing member as well as an elastic member.

[48] Hereinafter, a method of folding and expanding the cup will be described.

[49] With reference to Fig. 6, if the bottom face disposed at a lower end portion of the expanded cup is pushed up so as to overlap the inside surface of the cup main body and then pressure is put on one corner of the expanded cup and the obliquely opposite corner of the expanded cup, the cup is folded.

[50] When pressure is put on both corners of the folded cup, which are obliquely opposite

to each other, the cup is expanded. As the cup is expanded, an empty space is formed inside the expanded cup. At this time, the bottom face is pulled up toward the empty space and then the edges of the bottom face can come into contact with the inner surfaces of the cup main body. At this time, since the sealing rubber is attached to three edges of the bottom face, it is possible to prevent the liquid in the cup from leaking.

[51] After a long period of use, if the elasticity of the elastic member is decreased, the used out elastic member may be replaced with an elastic member in order to prevent liquid from leaking. Alternatively, pressure may be artificially put on the bottom face from the upside so that the edges of the bottom face and the inside surfaces of the cup main body can be securely combined. Using this method, it is also possible to prevent liquid in the cup from leaking.

[52] On the other hand, in the case in which a sealing film which has elasticity and is deformable is used in order to more surely prevent liquid from leaking, a folding motion of the cup does not negatively affect the cup when the cup is folded since the sealing film can be deformed. Accordingly, this structure also can prevent liquid from leaking and the lifespan of the cup may be prolonged.

[53] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein but a number of changes, modifications, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such changes, modifications and alterations should therefore be seen as within the scope of the present invention.